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〃Wele to Metra…lin； Senor Slade；〃 Estilo said。 He was using the only slightly tongue…in…cheek slang that had given Me…dellin its apocalyptic nickname； Machine…Gun City。
Russell turned to Tori。 ''Why not use a helicopter？'' he asked her。
〃The last people who tried that；〃 Tori said； 〃were turned to cinders by sicario hijackers。〃 She shrugged。 〃It's the gringo alternative。 The natives…the paisas… go the way we will go。〃
The Renault was going very fast； bouncing along a scarifying switchback road that snaked through the forested mountains。 Russell sneaked a look at the speedometer。 Considering the terrain； he thought they were traveling at least twenty mph too fast。 He was about to say so when Estilo said over his shoulder； 〃We're being followed。〃
Russell turned so fast his neck cracked。 Out the rear window he could see a pair of chrome and black motorcycles gaining on them。 〃Jesus；〃 he breathed； 〃so much for your security precautions。〃 He began to recheck the pistol the pilot had given him。 It was a large caliber weapon； deadly at medium range； absolutely devastating closer in。
''Try to lose them；'' Tori said to Estilo； and the Renault rocketed forward； hurtling this way and that down the winding road； tires screaming in protest。 The world to either side had bee a green blur； and the lushly forested mountainsides ahead were ing at them far too fast。 In desperation； Russell turned to the rear window。 The motorcycles； lagging for a moment； were already gaining back the ground they had lost。
〃We'll never outrun them；〃 Russell observed。
〃We weren't meant to；〃 Tori said to him。 She turned her attention to the driver。 〃Slow down； Estilo；〃 he heard her say。 And then； 〃You know what to do。〃 Estilo reached down between his legs。
〃Are you insane？'' Russell stared at Tori as she unzipped her satchel。 〃These sicarios will cut us to ribbons。〃
The motorcycles roared up beside the Renault； and now Russell could see that each held two sicarios； bristling with armament。 None of them looked over seventeen。 There were schools in the mountains surrounding Medellin that turned out scores of these fearless； punk killers； high on cocaine and the peculiar； frightening power of the killing lust。 Russell caught a glimpse of a pair of sawed…off shotguns beginning to swing down； two MAC…10 machine pistols being leveled in the direction of the Renault。
Explosions from the shotguns。 At that instant Estilo stepped hard on the brakes and； its rear wheels sluing back and forth； the Renault screeched to a halt。 While it was still rocking on its shocks。 Tori had opened her curbside door and； using it as a shield； whipped her arms up in the classic marksman's pose。
The motorcycles had meanwhile overshot their prey and were obliged to make sharp U…turns。 This maneuver meant that the sicarios riding shotgun could neither aim nor shoot until the motorcycles had swung around and were heading back toward the stopped Renault。 They fired。
Tori was holding some kind of long…barreled pistol that Russell was unfamiliar with。 She squeezed off two shots； and the sicarios in the leading motorcycle were slammed backward off the bike。 It roared erratically； running off the road and smashing into the underbrush。 A gush of oily smoke rose into the flower…scented air。
The second motorcycle came on。
Russell could see that their driver； the man Tori had called Estilo； was either unarmed or was making no attempt to draw his weapon。 Perhaps he had frozen。 Russell was in no such position。 He might be a desk jockey； as Tori had said； but he got only firsts on the target range； and he worked out in the unarmed bat dojo three times a week。
He raised his pistol； went to lean out his window。 But Estilo whirled in the front seat and； putting his hand over the hammer of the pistol； pushed it down out of sight。 〃Orders；〃 he said laconically。
〃But the sicarios…〃
〃Paciencia；〃 he said。 〃Wait and see。〃
Tori broke from the cover of the Renault and； slamming her door behind her； took off down the verge of the road； back the way they had e。
〃What？〃 Russell twisted in his seat。 〃Tori； where the hell d'you…〃 He tried to get the pistol out of Estilo's grip； but failed。
He heard the blast of a shotgun firing。 ''Goddamnit； let go； you sonuvabitch！ She'll be killed！〃
Because now the remaining motorcycle had swerved off the center of the road and was traveling down the right verge in direct line with Tori's flight。 The MAC…10 was chattering。
The motorcycle was almost upon them。 In a moment it would zip right by their right side； and then it would be too late to do anything to help Tori。 Russell redoubled his efforts to free his pistol； but it was like battling an octopus； and he was unused to unarmed bat in such restricted quarters。 The intervening back of the seat prevented him from using the throws and holds he had learned。
He could see the faces of the sicarios； long hair streaming； huge grins splitting their faces as they rode the wind； the high their speed and their power brought them。 They ignored the Renault and its occupants； focused as they were on the woman who had killed their patriots。 The MAC…10 resumed its thunder。
Just as the sicarios were about to draw abreast of the Renault； Estilo squeezed off one round through the open side window and； at the same instant； kicked his door open wide。
The motorcycle was far too close to avoid the obstruction； and there was a wailing scream as it plowed into the steel door； tearing it straight off its hinges。 At the same time； the motorcycle rose into the air like a bronco spitting the bit。 The vehicle squealed as if wounded； hurled itself over on its side。
Estilo was out of the Renault in a flash； and Russell saw Tori racing back。 Estilo kicked the MAC…10 from the dead driver's hand。
As he got out of the car； Russell could see the bullet hole in the side of me sicario's head； a clean hit； and he thought； Jesus； what a shot！
Estilo placed his left foot across the remaining sicario's wrist； preventing him from getting to his shotgun。 There was blood running from his nose and one ear。 Nobody said a word until Tori came up。 Russell noticed that she was not even out of breath。
Tori knelt down beside the last remaining sicario and said； 〃Who sent you？〃
The sicario spat in her face； and she put the muzzle of her odd pistol against his right kneecap。 She pulled the trigger。 The sicario jumped as if speared。 His face went white and his eyes rolled crazily in their sockets。 Tears of pain streamed down his sweat… and dust…streaked cheeks。
Tori bent closer。 〃The next time I pull the trigger；〃 she said； moving the pistol to his crotch； 〃it won't be your kneecap that won't work。〃
The sicario said one word； ''Cruz。'' The bull。 Then he began to shake as if he had contracted malaria。
The corrida was full by the time they got there。 They had missed the drug lords and their shotgun…toting bodyguards lustily； patriotically singing the Colombian and Medellin anthems； but the first blood had not yet been spilled； and that was a good sign。
They could get seats only in the sun…drenched side of the bowl…shaped arena； and it was very hot。 The place smelled of old stone； red dust； and fight frenzy。 They were downwind of the red…eyed bull； currently facing a rail…thin matador。
〃Can you tell me why the hell we're here？〃 Russell said to Tori as the three of them settled onto the backless bench。
〃When Ariel and I were in the tunnels；〃 she said； 〃we overheard a fragment of conversation between the two Japanese Yakuza。 This was before they discovered we were there。 They had just finished killing a man named Rega； who had seemed to be their local contact。 It occurred to me； after the briefing you gave me； that this would be a good place to start。 Who was Rega？ That's why I called Estilo。〃
Russell glanced over at the silver…haired man。 〃Who is he？〃
〃Estilo is a friend of mine；〃 Tori said。 〃That's all you need to know。〃
〃It most assuredly is not；〃 Russell said。 〃He hasn't been vetted； they aren't under discipline。 I don't know him from a hole in the wall。〃
〃But I do。〃
〃Tori； I'm warning you；〃 Russell said。 〃If this mission deteriorates into another one of your personal…〃
〃Go home； Russ；〃 Tori said disgustedly。 〃I was wrong。 You don't belong out here。 Go back to your desk in Virginia and let me do my job。〃
The bull made a run at the matador； who turned a magnificent veronica three inches from the beast's left horn。
〃I 'm here for the duration；'' Russell said grimly。 ''You're not running me out of here。 But this person…〃
〃Estilo saved your life and mine back there on the road to the airport。'' Tori glared at him。 ''If you thought for a moment； you'd see that that was a far better test of his loyalty than any of your electronic vetting machines。〃
A roar went up from the crowd as the bull made another run at the matador； who this time stuck a lance into the powerful muscles of its neck。
〃This is barbaric；〃 Russell said。 〃Like something from the dark ages。〃
〃It's the art of death； Senor Slade；〃 Estilo said。 〃Beauty and death is what Medellin is known for。 There is no violence here in the corrida； only grace and an honorable way to die。 This is why the people e； this is