bl.necroscope2-第82章

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　A　corner　of　the　house　collapsed；　sank　into　the　earth　in　ruins。　Where　it　went　down；　a　geyser　of　fire　spouted　high　as　the　roof；　hurling　broken　bricks　and　mortar　with　it。
　
　
　There　were　more　explosions　and　the　entire　house　shuddered。　It　was　visibly　settling　on　its　foundations；　cracks　spreading　across　its　walls；　chimneys　tottering。　The　four　watchers　backed　off　further　yet；　Layard　dragging　Ben　Trask　with　him。　Then　Layard　noticed　the　truck　where　it　stood　on　the　drive；　jolting　about　on　its　own　suspension。
　He　went　to　get　it；　but　Guy　Roberts　stayed　where　he　was；　stood　over　Trask　and　continued　to　watch　the　figure　of　the　woman　at　the　window。
　She　hadn't　changed　her　position。　She　stumbled　a　little　now　and　then　as　the　house　settled；　but　always　regained　her　pose；　arms　raised　on　high　and　head　thrown　back；　so　that　it　seemed　to　Roberts　that　indeed　she　talked　to　God。　Telling　Him　what？　Asking　for　what？　Forgiveness　for　her　son？　A　merciful　release　for　herself？
　Newton　and　Jordan　left　their　positions　at　the　rear　of　the　house　and　came　round　to　the　front。　It　was　clear　that　nothing　was　going　to　escape　from　that　inferno　now。　They　helped　Layard　get　Trask　into　the　truck；　and　while　they　busied　themselves　with　preparations　for　their　leaving；　still　Roberts　watched　the　house　burn；　and　so　was　witness　to　the　end　of　it。
　The　thermite　had　done　its　job　and　the　earth　itself　was　on　fire。　The　house　no　longer　had　foundations　on　which　to　stand。　It　slumped　down；　leaned　first　one　way　and　then　the　other。　Old　brickwork　groaned　as　timbers　sheared；　chimney　stacks　toppled　and　windows　shivered　into　fragments　in　their　twisting　frames。　And　as　the　house　sank　in　leaping　flames　and　molten　earth；　so　its　substance　became　fuel　for　the　fire。
　Fire　raced　up　walls　inside　and　out；　great　red　and　yellow　gouts　of　flame　spurted　from　broken　windows；　bursting　upward　through　a　rent　and　sagging　roof。　For　a　single　instant　longer　Georgina　Bodescu　was　silhouetted　against　a　background　of　crimson；　searing　heat；　and　then　Harkley　House　gave　up　the　ghost。　It　went　down　groaning　into　a　scar　of　bubbling　earth　that　resembled　nothing　so　much　as　the　mouth　of　a　small　volcano。　For　a　little　while　longer　the　peaked　gable　ends　and　parts　of　the　roof　were　visible；　and　then　they　too　were　consumed　in　vengeful　fire　and　smoke。
　Through　all　of　this　the　reek　had　been　terrible。　Judging　by　the　stench；　it　might　well　have　been　that　fifty　men　had　died　and　been　burned　in　that　house；　but　as　Roberts　climbed　up　into　the　passenger　seat　of　the　truck　and　Layard　headed　the　vehicle　down　the　drive　towards　the　gates；　all　five　survivors；　including　Trask　who　was　now　mainly　conscious；　knew　that　the　stench　came　from　nothing　human。　It　was　partly　thermite；　partly　earth　and　timber　and　old　brick；　but　mainly　it　was　the　death　smell　of　that　rendered　down；　gigantic　monstrosity　under　the　cellars；　that　〃Other〃　which　had　taken　poor　Gower。
　The　mist　had　almost　pletely　cleared　now；　and　cars　were　beginning　to　pull　up　along　the　verges　of　the　road；　their　drivers　attracted　by　the　flames　and　smoke　rising　high　into　the　air　where　Harkley　House　had　stood。　As　the　truck　rolled　out　of　the　gates　onto　the　road；　a　red…faced　driver　leaned　out　of　his　car's　window；　yelled；　〃What　is　it？　That's　Harkley　House；　isn't　it？〃
　〃It　was；〃　Roberts　yelled　back；　offering　what　he　hoped　looked　like　a　helpless　shrug。　〃Gone；　I'm　afraid。　Burned　down。〃
　〃Good　Lord！〃　The　red…faced　man　was　aghast。　〃Has　the　fire　service　been　informed？〃
　〃We're　off　to　do　that　now；〃　Roberts　answered。　〃Little　good　that'll　do；　though。　We've　been　in　to　have　a　look；　but　there's　nothing　left　to　see；　I'm　afraid。〃　They　drove　on。
　A　mile　towards　Paignton；　a　clattering　fire　engine　came　tearing　from　the　other　direction。　Layard　drew　dutifully　in　towards　the　side　of　the　road　to　give　the　fire　engine　room。　He　grinned　tiredly；　without　humour。　〃Too　late；　my　lads；〃　he　mented　under　his　breath。　〃Much　too　late…thank　all　that's　merciful。〃
　
　They　dropped　Trask　off　at　the　hospital　in　Torquay　（with　a　story　about　an　accident　he'd　suffered　in　a　friends　garden）　and　after　seeing　him　fortable　went　back　to　the　hotel　HQ　in　Paignton　to　debrief。
　Roberts　enumerated　their　successes。　〃We　got　all　three　women；　anyway。　But　as　for　Bodescu　himself；　I　have　my　doubts　about　him。　Serious　doubts；　and　when　we're　finished　here　I'll　pass　them　on　to　London；　also　to　Darcy　Clarke　and　our　people　up　in　Hartlepool。　These　will　be　simply　precautionary　measures；　of　course；　for　even　if　we　did　miss　Bodescu　we've　no　way　of　knowing　what　he'll　do　next　or　where　he'll　go。　Anyway；　Alec　Kyle　will　be　back　in　control　shortly。　In　fact　it's　queer　he　hasn't　shown　up　yet。　Actually；　I'm　not　looking　forward　to　seeing　him：　he's　going　to　be　furious　when　he　learns　that　Bodescu　probably　got　out　of　that　lot。〃
　〃Bodescu　and　that　other　dog；〃　Harvey　Newton　put　in；　almost　as　an　afterthought。　He　shrugged。　〃Still；　I　reckon　it　was　just　a　stray　that　got　into。。。　the　grounds　。　somehow？〃　He　stopped；　looked　from　face　to　face。　All　were　staring　back　at　him　in　astonishment；　almost　disbelief。　It　was　the　first　they'd　heard　of　it。
　Roberts　couldn't　restrain　himself　from　grabbing　Newton's　jacket　front。　〃Tell　it　now！〃　he　grated　through　clenched　teeth。　〃Exactly　as　it　happened；　Harvey。〃　Newton；　dazed；　told　it；　concluding：
　〃So　while　Gower　was　burning　that。。。　that　bloody　thing　which　wasn't　a　dog　not　all　of　it；　anyway…this　other　dog　went　by　in　the　mist。　But　I　can't　even　swear　that　I　saw　it　at　all！　I　mean；　there　was　so　much　going　on。　It　could　have　been　just　the　mist；　or　my　imagination；　or。。。　anything！　I　thought　it　loped；　but　sort　of　upright　in　an　impossible　forward　crouch。　And　its　head　wasn't　just　the　right　shape。　It　had　to　be　my　imagination；　a　curl　of　mist；　something　like　that。　Imagination；　yes…especially　with　Gower　standing　there　burning　that　godawful　dog！　Christ；　I'll　dream　of　dogs　like　that　for　the　rest　of　my　life！〃
　Roberts　released　him　violently；　almost　tossed　him　across　the　room。　The　fat　man　wasn't　just　fat；　he　was　heavy；　too；　and　very　strong。　He　looked　at　Newton　in　disgust。　〃Idiot！〃　he　rumbled。　He　lit　a　cigarette；　despite　the　fact　that　he　already　had　one　going。
　〃I　couldn't　have　done　anything　anyway！〃　Newton　protested。　〃I'd　shot　my　bolt；　hadn't　reloaded　yet　。　。
　〃Shot　your　bloody　bolt？〃　Roberts　glared。　Then　he　calmed　himself。　〃I'd　like　to　say　it's　not　your　fault；〃　he　told　Newton　then。　〃And　maybe　it　isn't　your　fault。　Maybe　he　was　just　too　damned　clever　for　us。〃
　〃What　now？〃　said　Layard。　He　felt　a　little　sorry　for　Newton；　tried　to　take　attention　away　from　him。
　Roberts　looked　at　Layard。　〃Now？　Well；　when　I've　calmed　down　a　little　you　and　me　will　have　to　try　and　find　the　bastard；　that's　what　now！〃
　〃Find　him？〃　Newton　licked　dry　lips。　How？〃　He　was　confused；　wasn't　thinking　clearly。
　Roberts　at　once　tapped　the　side　of　his　head　with　huge　white　knuckles。　〃With　this！〃　he　shouted。　〃It's　what　I　do。　I'm　a　〃scryer〃；　remember？〃　He　glared　again　at　Newton。　〃So　what's　your　fucking　talent？　Other　than　screwing　things　up；　I　mean。　。
　Newton　found　a　chair　and　fell　into　it。　〃I。。。　I　saw　him；　and　yet　convinced　myself　that　I　hadn't　seen　him。　What　the　hell's　wrong　with　me？　We　went　there　to　trap　him…to　trap　anything　ing　out　of　that　house…so　why　didn't　I　react　more　posit　…；　Jordan　drew　air　sharply　and　made　a　conclusive；　snapping　sound　with　his　fingers。　He　gave　a　sharp　nod；　said；　〃Of　course！〃
　They　all　looked　at　him。
　〃Of　course！〃　he　said　again；　spitting　the　words　out。　〃He's　talented　too；　remember？　Too　bloody　talented　by　a　mile！
　
　Harvey；　he　got　to　you。　Telepathically；　I　mean。　Hell；　he　got　to　me　too！　Convinced　us　he　wasn't　there；　that　we　couldn't　see　him。　And　I　really　didn't　see　him；　not　a　hair　of　him。　I　was　there；　too；　remember；　when　Simon　was　burning　that　thing。　But　I　saw　nothing。　So　don't　feel　too　bad　about　it；　Harvey…at　least　you　actually　saw　the　bastard！〃
　〃You're　right；〃　Roberts　nodded　after　a　moment。　〃You　have　to　be。　So　now　we　know　for　sure：　Bodescu　is　loose；　angry　and…God；　dangerous！　Yes；　and　he's　more　powerful；　far　more　powerful；　than　anyone　has　yet　given　him　credit　for　。　。
　
　Wednesday；　12。30　A。M。　middle…European　time；　the　border　crossing…point　near　Siret　in　Moldavia。
　Krakovitch　and　Gulharov　had　shared　the　driving　between　them；　though　Carl　Quint　would　hav