bl.necroscope2-第102章

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re　her　face。
　The　Chateau　Bronnitsy　was　slowly　settling　down　into　itself。　A　sandcastle　caught　in　the　first　wave　of　a　swelling　tide；　it　crumbled　like　so　much　chalk。　Volcanic　fires　burned　in　its　guts；　and　spewed　out　through　its　cratered　walls；　and　as　the　upper　storeys　and　towers　fell　inwards；　so　there　came　secondary　blasts　to　throw　them　up　again。　Already　the　Chateau　was　a　total　ruin；　but　then　the　big　one　in　the　Duty　Room　added　its　voice　to　the　cacophony　of　destruction。
　
　By　this　time　Zek　had　managed　to　climb　into　the　jeep　beside　Gerenko。　They　felt　a　huge　fist　batter　at　the　rear　of　the　vehicle；　shove　it　forward；　felt　their　ears　savaged　by　the　massive　detonation；　shuttered　their　eyes　against　a　sudden　incendiary　glare。　A　brilliant　fireball　like　the　breath　of　hell　turned　everything　to　a　negative　photograph；　blotted　out　the　entire　scene　and　made　night　into　blinding　day；　then　slowly　faded　and　revealed　the　truth…that　the　Chateau　Bronnitsy　was　no　more。　Bits　of　it；　from　pebbles　to　huge　blocks　of　concrete；　still　rained　to　earth。　Black　smoke　curled　up　across　the　moon；　white　and　yellow　fire　seethed　and　roiled　in　the　gutted　ruins；　a　mere　handful　of　figures　stumbled　about　like　crippled　flies；　trying　to　make　their　way　outwards　from　the　centre　of　the　inferno。
　Gerenko；　stunned；　had　stalled　the　jeep　and　it　wouldn't　start　again。　Now　he　got　out；　ordered　Zek　out；　too。　The　helicopter　had　veered　sharply　away　as　the　first　explosion　occurred；　it　circled；　came　down　and　landed　with　a　bump　on　the　road　near　the　perimeter　wall。　Theo　Dolgikh　spoke　briefly　to　the　pilot；　climbed　out　and　advanced　at　a　run。　Zek　F？ener　and　Gerenko　made　their　way　staggeringly　towards　him。
　〃For　Alec；〃　said　Harry　Keogh　softly　to　himself。
　He　stood　in　the　shadows　at　the　foot　of　the　perimeter　wall　and　watched　the　three　people　moving　towards　the　helicopter。　He　took　note　of　the　two　men…one　the　mere　husk　of　a　man　and　the　other　a　hulking　brute…and　the　way　they　manhandled　the　girl　into　the　chopper。　Then　the　machine　lifted　off　and　Harry　was　alone　with　the　night　and　his　hideous　handiwork。　But　like　an　after…image；　a　mental　picture　of　those　two　men　kept　superimposing　itself　over　the　leaping　flames。　Harry　didn't　know　who　they　were；　but　his　intuition　told　him　that　these　two　above　all　others　ought　not　to　have　escaped　the　holocaust。
　He'd　have　to　speak　to　Carl　Quint　and　Felix　Krakovitch　about　them　。　。
　
　
　Epilogue
　
　Three　days　later　Ivan　Gerenko；　Theo　Dolgikh　and　Zek　F？ener　stood　on　the　scarred　rim　of　the　gorge　in　the　Carpathians　and　gazed　gloomily　on　a　great　mound　of　scree　and　rubble；　where　only　the　stumps　of　the　ancient　castle's　massive　outer　walls　protruded。　The　scene　was　desolate　as　only　these　mountains　can　be；　with　jagged　crests　and　peaks　all　around；　an　eerie　wind　moaning　up　off　the　plain；　and　birds　of　prey　circling　slowly　in　a　sky　ribboned　with　cloud。　It　was　evening　and　the　light　was　beginning　to　fade；　but　Gerenko　had　insisted　upon　seeing　the　site。　There　was　nothing　they　could　do　tonight；　but　at　least　it　would　give　him　an　idea　of　what　must　be　done　tomorrow。
　Gerenko　was　here　because　Leonid　Brezhnev　had　given　him　one　week　to　e　up　with　the　answer…one　all…inclusive　answer…to　the　destruction　of　the　Chateau　Bronnitsy；　Dolgikh　because　Yuri　Andropov　also　required　answers；　Zek　in　order　that　Gerenko　could　keep　an　eye　on　her。　She　said　she　had　lost　her　talent　on　the　night　of　the　as　yet　unexplained　inferno…and　worse；　that　all　memory　of　what　she'd　learned　from　Alec　Kyle　had　also　been　burned　out　of　her…but　Gerenko　thought　not。　In　which　case　he　couldn't　be　sure　that　if　she　were　left　on　her　own　in　Moscow　she'd　keep　her　mouth　shut。
　But　most　importantly；　and　if　she　were　lying；　she　was　here　because　she　was　the　world's　foremost　close…range　telepath。　If　danger　threatened　from　any　source；　Zek　F？ener　would　probably　know　it　first；　and　so　her　actions　would　be　Gerenko's　indicator　that　all　was　well…or　otherwise。　After　what　had　happened　at　the　Chateau　one　must　look　to　one's　personal　safety；　and　a　mind　such　as　Zek's　could　well　be　of　the　utmost　importance。
　〃Nothing；〃　she　said　now；　frowning　at　the　grey　ruins；　her　forehead　furrowed。　〃Nothing　at　all。　But　even　if　there　were　something　here　I　couldn't　read　it！　Not　now。　I've　told　you；　Ivan；　my　talent　has　been　destroyed。　It　burned　up　in　that　great　bonfire　and　now。。。　I　can't　even　remember　what　it　was　like。〃

　She　told　a　part…truth：　her　talent　was　intact；　all　right　…she　knew　that　from　the　seething　cauldron　of　Gerenko's　mind；　and　the　cesspool　of　Dolgikh's…but　she　really　couldn't　detect　anything　else。　Only　a　Necroscope　may　talk　to　the　dead　or　hear　them　talking　to　each　other。
　〃Nothing！〃　Gerenko　repeated　her；　his　voice　rasping。　He　kicked　at　the　dirt　and　sent　pebbles　flying。　〃Then　it's　a　black　day　for　us。〃
　〃For　you；　rade；　perhaps；〃　said　Dolgikh；　turning　up　the　collar　of　his　coat。　〃But　you're　up　against　the　Party　Leader；　who　happens　to　have　lost　a　lot。　Andropov　may　not　have　gained　anything；　but　he　certainly　hasn't　lost　much。　Not　that　he'll　notice；　anyway。　And　there's　no　point　in　him　taking　it　out　of　my　hide。　As　for　E…Branch：　he's　waged　war　with　you　espers　for　years；　and　now　you're　finished。　No　skin　off　his　nose。　He　won't　agonise　over　it；　take　my　word。〃
　Gerenko　turned　on　him。　〃You　fool！　So　you'll　return　to　simple　thuggery；　will　you？　And　how　far　will　that　get　you？　You　could　have　gone　up　in　the　world；　Theo；　with　me。　Right　to　the　top。　But　now？〃
　At　the　back　of　the　ruins　in　the　heaped　shale　and　fallen　scree；　something　stirred。　The　rubble　formed　a　small　mound；　cracked　open；　and　foul　gases　filtered　up　into　the　evening　air。　A　bloodied　hand；　that　of　a　corpse；　scrabbled　for　a　moment　until　it　found　purchase　in　the　rocks。　The　two　men　and　the　girl　heard　nothing。
　Dolgikh　scowled　at　the　smaller　man。　〃rade；　I'm　not　sure　I　want　to　go　anywhere　with　you；〃　he　said。　〃I　prefer　the　pany　of　men…and　sometimes　women。〃　He　glanced　at　Zek　F？ener　and　licked　his　lips。　〃But　I　warn　you；　be　careful　who　you're　calling　a　fool。　Head　of　E…Branch？　You're　head　of　nothing　now。　Just　another　citizen；　and　a　poor　specimen　at　that。〃
　〃Idiot！〃　Gerenko　muttered；　turning　away　from　Dolgikh。　〃Dolt！　Why；　if　you'd　been　at　the　Chateau　that　night　I'd　suspect　you　of　being　involved　in　that　mess；　too！　You're　too　bloody　good　at　blowing　things　up；　Theo！〃
　Dolgikh　caught　his　slender　arm；　turned　him　about。　Gerenko's　talent　was　alerted。。。　but　so　far　the　KGB　man　intended　no　real　harm。　〃Listen；　you　spindly　thing；〃　Dolgikh　spat　the　words　out。　〃You　think　you're　so　high　and　mighty；　but　you　forget　that　I've　still　got　enough　on　you　to　put　you　away　for　the　rest　of　your　days！〃
　Back　in　the　ruins；　his　movements　covered　by　their　arguing；　Mikhail　Volkonsky　got　to　his　knees　and　then　dragged　himself　to　his　feet。　He'd　lost　an　arm　and　shoulder　and　most　of　his　face；　but　the　rest　of　him　still　worked。　He　shuffled　awkwardly　into　the　shadow　of　the　cliff；　drew　closer　to　the　three　live　ones。
　〃But　it's　mutual；　Theo；　it's　mutual！〃　Gerenko　mocked　the　KGB　agent。　〃And　it　isn't　only　you　I　can　damage　but　your　boss；　too。　How　would　Andropov　fare　if　I　let　it　out　that　he'd　been　trying　to　interfere　with　branch　work　again？　And　how　would　you　fare　after　that？　Overseer　in　a　salt　mine；　that's　where　you'd　be；　Theo！〃
　〃Why　you　runt！〃　Dolgikh　swelled　up　huge。　He　raised　his　fist。。。　and　a　strange　expectant　something　filled　the　air。　However　blunt　his　senses；　Dolgikh　felt　it　too。　〃Why；　I　could　…〃
　Gerenko　faced　him　squarely。　〃But　that's　just　the　point；　Theo。　You　couldn't！　Neither　you　nor　any　other　man。　Try　it　and　see　for　yourself。　It's　waiting　for　you　to　try；　Theo。　Go　on；　strike　me　if　you　dare。　You'll　be　lucky　if　you　merely　miss；　fall　over　in　the　stones　and　break　your　arm。　But　if　you're　unlucky　this　wall　could　fall　on　you　and　crush　you。　Your　superior　physical　strength？　Pah！　I。。。〃　He　paused　and　the　sneer　fell　from　his　face。　〃What　was　that？〃
　Dolgikh　lowered　his　threatening　hand；　listened。　There　was　only　the　keening　of　the　wind。　〃I　heard　nothing；〃　he　said。
　〃I　did；〃　said　Zek　F？ener；　shivering。　〃Rocks　falling　into　the　gorge。　e　on；　let's　get　out　of　here。　The　shadows　are　lengthening；　and　that　ledge　back　there　was　bad　enough　in　full　daylight。　Why　are　you　arguing；　anyway？　What's　done　is　done。〃
　〃Shh〃　said　Dolgikh；　his　eyes　going　wide。　He