cc.vixen03-第51章

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　〃I　care；〃　Pitt　said　softly。　〃Being　a　woman；　she'll　suffer　embarrass…ment；　but　that　will　be　a　small　price　to　pay　so　our　friend　Daggat　here　can　spend　a　few　years　making　license　plates　in　the　slammer。　When　he　gets　paroled；　he'll　need　a　new　vocation；　since　his　party　will　want　no　part　of　him。〃
　Daggat　flushed　and　leaned　threateningly　toward　Pitt。　〃Bullshit！〃　he　raged。
　Pitt　fixed　Daggat　with　a　stare　that　would　have　frozen　a　shark。　〃Con…gress　frowns　on　scum　who　pull　gutter　tactics　to　pass　legislation。　There　was　a　time　not　too　many　years　ago　when　your　scheme　might　have　worked；　Congressman；　but　these　days　there　are　enough　honest　people　on　Capitol　Hill　who　would　boot　your　ass　from　the　city　limits　if　they　got　wind　of　this。〃
　Daggat　relaxed。　He　was　beaten　and　he　knew　it。　〃What　do　you　want　me　to　do？〃
　〃Destroy　the　negatives。〃
　〃That's　all？〃　'
　Pitt　nodded。
　Daggat's　face　took　on　a　leery　expression。　〃No　pound　of　flesh；　Mr。　Pitt？〃
　〃We　don't　all　swim　in　the　same　sewer；　Congressman。　I　think　Loren　will　agree　it's　best　for　all　concerned　to　drop　the　whole　affair。〃　Pitt　opened　the　door　and　helped　Loren　out。　〃Oh；　one　more　thing：　I　have　Sam　Jackson's　sworn　statement　of　your　dealings　with　him。　I　trust　it　will　not　be　necessary　to　blow　the　whistle　on　further　shakedowns　by　you　and　your　girl　friend。　If　I　find　you've　crossed　me；　I'll　e　down　hard　on　you；　mister。　That's　a　promise。〃
　Pitt　slammed　the　door　and　leaned　in　the　chauffeur's　window。　〃Okay；　pal；　move　it。〃
　The　two　of　them　stood　and　watched　the　limousine　until　it　disappeared　in　the　traffic。　Then　Loren　stood　on　tiptoe　and　kissed　Pitt's　prickly　cheek。
　〃What's　that　for？〃　he　asked；　grinning　with　pleasure。
　〃A　reward　for　bailing　me　out　of　a　nasty　situation。〃
　〃Pitt　to　the　rescue。　I　always　was　a　pushover　for　congresswomen　in　distress。〃　He　kissed　her　on　the　lips；　ignoring　the　curious　stares　of　passersby。　〃And　that's　your　reward　for　playing　noble。〃
　〃Playing　noble？〃
　〃You　should　have　told　me　about　the　photographs。　I　could　have　saved　you　many　a　sleepless　night。〃
　〃I　thought　I　could　handle　it；〃　she　said；　avoiding　his　eyes。　〃Women　should　be　able　to　stand　alone。〃
　He　put　his　arm　around　her　and　led　her　to　his　car。　〃There　are　times　when　even　a　dedicated　feminist　needs　a　chauvinist　to　lean　on。〃
　As　Loren　slid　into　the　passenger　seat；　Pitt　noticed　a　small　slip　of　paper　under　one　of　his　windshield　wipers。　At　first　he　thought　it　was　only　an　advertising　flyer　and　was　about　to　throw　it　away；　but　curiosity　won　out　and　he　glanced　at　it。　The　message　was　written　in　a　precise　hand。
　dear　mr。　pitt；
　I　would　be　most　grateful　if　you　would　call　this　number　（555…5971）　at
　your　earliest　convenience。
　Thank　you；　dale　jarvis
　Instinctively　Pitt　looked　up　and　down　the　crowded　sidewalk；　trying　vainly　to　make　the　mysterious　messenger。　It　was　a　hopeless　chore。　There　were　nearly　eighty　people　within　a　hundred…yard　radius；　any　one　might　have　slipped　the　paper　onto　his　car　while　he　was　confronting　Daggat。
　〃Do　you　know　a　Dale　Jarvis？〃　he　asked　Loren。
　She　thought　a　moment。　〃Can't　say　the　name　is　familiar。　Why？〃
　〃It　appears；〃　Pitt　said　pensively；　〃that　he　left　me　a　love　note。〃
　
　49
　
　The　chilly　winter　air　seeped　through　the　seams　of　the　truck　bed　and　stabbed　Lusana's　skin。　He　was　lying　on　his　stomach；　his　hands　and　legs　tightly　bound　to　his　sides。　The　metal　ribs　of　the　floor　jarred　his　head　with　every　bump　the　stiffly　sprung　truck　took　from　the　road。　Lusana's　senses　were　hardly　functioning。　The　hood　over　his　head　closed　out　all　light　and　left　him　disoriented；　and　the　loss　of　circulation　had　turned　his　body　numb。
　His　last　memory　was　of　the　smiling　face　of　the　flight　captain　in　the　first…class　hospitality　bar　at　the　airport。　The　few　lucid　thoughts　he　had　had　since　then　ended　on　the　same　image。
　〃I'm　Captain　Mutaapo；〃　the　tall；　slender　pilot　had　said。　He　was　a　balding　middle…aged　black　man；　but　his　smile　made　his　face　youthful。　He　wore　the　dark…green　uniform　of　BEZA…Mozambique　Airlines；　with　an　abundance　of　gold　braid　entwining　the　lower　sleeves。　〃A　representative　from　my　government　has　requested　me　to　ensure　a　safe　and　secure　flight　for　you；　Mr。　Lusana。〃
　〃Precautions　were　necessary　for　entering　the　United　States；〃　Lusana　had　said；　〃but　I　seriously　doubt　I　am　in　any　danger　on　a　departing　flight　surrounded　by　American　tourists。〃
　〃Nonetheless；　sir；　you　are　my　responsibility；　as　well　as　the　one　hundred　and　fifty　other　passengers。　I　must　ask　if　you　foresee　any　prob…lems　that　may　endanger　lives。〃
　〃None；　Captain；　I　assure　you。〃
　〃Good。〃　Mutaapo's　teeth　flashed。　〃Let's　drink　to　a　smooth　and　…fortable　flight。　What　will　be　your　pleasure；　sir？〃
　〃A　martini；　straight　up　with　a　twist；　thank　you。〃
　Stupidity；　Lusana　thought　as　the　truck　rumbled　over　a　railroad　cross…ing。　Too　late　it　dawned　on　him　that　mercial…airline　pilots　cannot　take　alcohol　twenty…four　hours　before　a　flight。　Too　late　he　realized　that　his　drink　had　been　drugged。　The　bogus　flight　captain's　smile　seemed　frozen　in　time　before　it　slowly　clouded　and　dissolved　into　nothingness。
　Lusana　could　not　measure　the　hours　or　the　days。　He　had　no　way　of　knowing　that　he　was　kept　in　a　constant　state　of　stupor　by　frequent　injections　of　a　mild　sedative。　Unfamiliar　faces　appeared　and　reappeared　as　the　hood　was　temporarily　removed；　their　features　floating　in　an　ethereal　haze　before　blackness　closed　in　once　more。
　The　truck　braked　to　a　halt　and　he　heard　muffled　voices。　Then　the　driver　shifted　gears　and　moved　forward；　stopping　again　in　less　than　a　mile。
　Lusana　heard　the　rear　doors　open　and　he　felt　two　pairs　of　hands　pick　him　up　roughly　and　carry　his　numbed　body　up　some　kind　of　ramp。　Strange　sounds　came　out　of　the　darkness。　The　blast　of　a　distant　air　horn。　Metallic　clanging；　as　though　steel　doors　were　being　opened　and　slammed　shut。　He　also　detected　the　smells　of　fresh　paint　and　oil。
　He　was　unceremoniously　dumped　on　another　hard　floor　and　left　there　as　his　bearers　faded　out　of　earshot。　The　next　thing　he　sensed　was　the　rope's　being　cut　from　his　body。　Then　the　hood　was　removed。　The　only　light　came　from　a　small　incandescent　red　bulb　on　one　wall。
　For　nearly　a　full　minute　Lusana　lay　there　motionless　while　the　circula…tion　slowly　awakened　his　agonized　limbs。　He　screwed　up　his　eyes　and　squinted。　It　appeared　to　him　that　he　was　on　the　bridge　of　a　ship。　The　red　glow　from　above　revealed　a　helm　and　large　console　dotted　with　multicolored　lights　that　reflected　off　a　long　row　of　square　windows　embedded　in　three　of　four　gray　walls。
　Above　Lusana；　still　holding　the　hood　in　his　hand；　was　a　huge　mass　of　a　man。　Looking　like　a　distorted　giant；　from　Lusana's　prone　position　on　the　deck；　the　man　stared　down　from　a　kindly　face　and　smiled。　Lusana　was　not　taken　in。　He　well　knew　that　most　hardened　killers　flashed　angelic　expressions　before　slitting　their　victims'　throats。　And　yet　the　face　on　this　man　seemed　strangely　innocent　of　bloodthirsty　intent。　Instead；　he　exuded　a　detached　sort　of　curiosity。
　〃You　are　Hiram　Lusana。〃　The　deep　bass　voice　echoed　against　the　steel　bulkheads。
　〃I　am；〃　Lusana　answered　hoarsely。　His　voice　sounded　odd　to　him。　He　had　not　used　it　in　nearly　four　days。
　〃You　don't　know　how　much　I've　looked　forward　to　meeting　you；〃　the　giant　said。
　〃Who　are　you？〃
　〃Does　the　name　Fawkes　mean　anything　to　you？〃
　〃Should　it？〃　Lusana　said；　determined　to　resist。
　〃Aye；　it's　a　terrible　thing　when　you　forget　the　names　of　the　people　you've　murdered。〃
　A　realization　mushroomed　within　Lusana。　〃Fawkes　。。。　the　raid　on　the　Fawkes　farm；　in　Natal。〃
　〃My　wife　and　children　cut　down。　My　house　burned。　You　even　slaughtered　my　workers。　Whole　families　with　the　same　skin　as　yours。〃
　〃Fawkes　。　。　。　you're　Fawkes；〃　Lusana　repeated；　his　drugged　mind　fighting　to　grasp　a　bearing。
　〃I'm　satisfied　the　filthy　business　was　done　by　the　AAR；〃　said　Fawkes；　a　subtle　hardening　in　his　voice。　〃They　were　your　men；　you　gave　the　orders。〃
　〃I　was　not　responsible。〃　The　fog　was　lifting　from　Lusana's　head　and　he　was　ing　back　on　balance；　inwardly　at　least。　His　arms　and　legs　would　not　respond　to　mand。　〃I'm　sorry　for　what　happened　to　your　family。　A　tragic　bloodletting　that　had　no　rhyme　or　reason。　But　you　will　have　to　look　elsewhere　to　place　the　blame。　My　men　were　i