jefflong.yearzero-第14节

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uld　bury　her　under　rocks　and　beat　a　retreat。　He　would　remove　his　rope。　Erase　his　tracks。　Halt　the　search。　In　three　months；　he　could　return。。。free　of　the　Ochs　〃franchise。〃
　Nathan　Lee　scrambled　to　his　knees。　Not　in　years　had　he　felt　this　absolutely　clear。　His　gangster　days　were　over。　He　began　carefully　stacking　rocks　over　her　legs。　He　worked　quickly；　piling　them　haphazardly。　Another　few　minutes；　that's　all　he　needed。
　〃Good　lord。〃
　Nathan　Lee　lowered　his　rock。
　Ochs's　massive　head　and　shoulders　were　perched　at　the　edge　of　the　ledge。　He　was　a　mess；　his　beard　and　chest　ribboned　with　snot　and　drool。　Bound　to　the　back　of　his　pack；　the　point　of　his　ice　axe　stuck　above　his　head　like　an　exclamation　point。
　〃We　were　wrong；〃　said　Nathan　Lee。　〃It's　just　another　body。　Some　poor　refugee。〃
　〃The　hell；〃　Ochs　croaked。　Even　in　his　hypoxic　state；　sucking　for　air　like　a　beached　fish；　he　recognized　what　this　was。　Instantly　the　spirit　of　the　place　felt　fouled。
　〃We　have　to　go　down；〃　Nathan　Lee　tried。　〃There's　a　storm　ing　in。〃
　The　rope　tugged。　Rinchen　arrived；　quiet　as　a　whisper。　Eyes　masked　by　ancient　steel…rimmed　glacier　glasses；　his　mouth　a　round　O；　he　looked　like　a　deep…sea　diver　from　Jules　Verne。　A　goiter　bulged　at　his　throat。　Long　scars　striped　one　cheek。
　Rinchen　took　one　look　at　the　dead　woman　and　went　very　still。　He　looked　stricken。　Then　his　big；　gnarled　peasant　hands　came　together；　and　he　began　to　pray。　Nathan　Lee　realized　he　wasn't　praying　for　the　Neandertal　woman。　He　was　praying　to　her。
　〃What　a　glorious　bitch；〃　Ochs　crowed。　〃The　Ice　Queen。　That's　got　a　ring　to　it。　Goddess　of　the　Death　Zone。〃　He　patted　her　head。
　〃Unh；〃　Rinchen　grunted　at　the　irreverent　pat。
　Ochs　was　oblivious。　He　started　pitching　the　heaped　stones　from　the　ledge；　palming　boulders　that　had　taken　Nathan　Lee　two　hands　to　move。　The　rocks　ricocheted　downhill　and　disappeared　into　the　glacier。
　A　gust　of　wind　licked　across　the　mountain。　The　woman's　black　hair　suddenly　came　alive；　lifting　off　her　shoulders。　The　long　ends　were　braided。
　〃Leave　her；〃　said　Nathan　Lee。
　〃What？〃
　〃For　another　day。〃
　Ochs　snorted。　He　was　sick　of　the　wilds；　sick　of　the　thin　air；　sick　of　camp　life。　All　he　talked　about　was　getting　back　to　his　beamer　and　art　works　and　DuPont　Circle　condo。　For　an　answer；　he　seized　the　woman's　arm　and　gave　a　yank。　The　arm　didn't　move。　She　was　anchored　in　place；　her　back　fused　to　the　ledge。　Ochs　tried　again。　But　she　had　bee　part　of　the　mountain。
　Nathan　Lee　took　the　chance。　He　revealed　his　dream。　〃We　can　e　back。　Start　over。〃
　〃Go　straight？〃
　〃Something　like　that。〃
　Ochs　looked　at　him。　〃That　simple？〃　he　said。　He　emptied　Nathan　Lee's　pack　on　the　ledge　and　picked　up　the　body　bag。
　〃You're　not　listening；〃　said　Nathan　Lee。　He　grabbed　at　the　folded　packet。　Ochs　fumbled　it。　The　packet　went　sailing　over　the　edge。　They　watched　it　fall。
　A　corner　caught　on　a　rock；　tearing　the　plastic；　and　the　body　bag　suddenly　ballooned　open。　It　drafted　downwards；　a　white　gossamer　tube。　The　sight　encouraged　him。　That　was　the　last　of　their　beginning。　〃It's　over；〃　he　said　firmly。
　Ochs　shook　his　head。　〃You　crossed　the　line。　There's　no　going　back。　Never。〃
　〃Maybe　not　for　you。〃
　Ochs　faced　him。　〃You　can　be　finished　with　Lydia。　But　not　with　me。　You　and　I　are　business　partners。〃
　〃I'm　out；〃　said　Nathan　Lee。　Already　he　felt　lighter。
　〃Don't　break　my　heart；　man。〃
　〃It's　over。〃　He　added；　〃And　she　stays。〃
　〃Or　else？〃　said　Ochs。
　Nathan　Lee　didn't　answer。　Out　of　nowhere；　the　sky　spoke。　Thunder　rumbled。　Ochs　turned　and　cursed　in　surprise。　The　distant　clouds　had　assembled　in　a　clot　at　the　mouth　of　the　valley。　It　didn't　seem　possible　they　could　gather　so　quickly。　Nathan　Lee　smelled　ozone。　A　streak　of　lightning　wormed　through　the　dark　gut。
　〃We　have　to　get　down；〃　said　Nathan　Lee。　〃We　can　beat　the　storm　if　we　start　down。　Now。〃　Rinchen's　prayer　grew　louder。　Clearly；　he　linked　the　storm　clouds　with　this　dessicated　mountain　deity。　Nathan　Lee　looked　over　the　edge。　Their　tent　seemed　so　tiny　beside　the　far　glacier。　When　he　looked　back　again；　Ochs　had　unstrapped　his　ice　axe。
　〃What　are　you　doing？〃　said　Nathan　Lee。
　Ochs　slid　the　shaft　behind　the　mummy's　shoulder　and　pried　forward。　Inside　the　leather　flesh；　bones　snapped。　But　the　body　itself　stayed　in　place。
　〃Stop；〃　said　Nathan　Lee。
　Ochs　thrust　the　metal　shaft　down　along　her　spine。　Something　crunched　back　there；　gravel　or　ice　or　vertebrae。　He　hauled　with　all　his　weight。　Still　she　wouldn't　move。
　Nathan　Lee　shoved　at　him。
　Ochs　tore　the　ice　axe　from　along　her　spine　and　raised　it　high。　He　swung。
　Nathan　Lee　ducked。　But　the　axe　was　aimed　at　her。　Ochs　sank　the　pick　up　to　the　hilt　in　the　woman's　collarbone。　He　pulled　it　loose　and　got　off　a　second　stroke；　planting　it　halfway　through　her　neck。　It　looked　like　he　was　in　mortal　bat　with　the　corpse。　〃No　more；〃　cried　Rinchen。
　Nathan　Lee　caught　the　axe　on　the　third　swing。　He　jerked　it　from　the　man's　gloved　hand。
　〃We　earned　this；〃　Ochs　growled。
　〃What？　Earned　what？〃　said　Nathan　Lee。　The　vandalized　body　sat　there。　Bone　and　black　meat　showed　from　the　two　deep　gashes。
　〃The　head；〃　said　Ochs。　〃We　can　take　that　much。　Give　me　the　axe。〃
　Nathan　Lee　threw　the　axe　as　far　as　it　would　go。　They　could　hear　the　metal　clanging　and　ringing　into　the　depths。　〃Have　it　your　way；〃　Ochs　said。
　Nathan　Lee　thought　he　had　surrendered。
　Ochs　bent。　With　his　bare　hand；　he　ripped　her　lower　jaw　off。　It　came　away　with　a　crack。　The　dried　tongue　roosted　beneath　the　upper　teeth。
　〃Now　it's　over。〃　Ochs　shook　the　horseshoe　of　bone　and　teeth　and　mummified　flesh　at　him。　〃You　never　had　the　stomach　for　it。〃　He　stuffed　the　trophy　inside　his　parka。
　Neither　of　them　expected　what　came　next。　Without　a　word；　Rinchen　leapt　at　Ochs；　knocking　him　against　the　back　wall。　Ochs　swiped　at　him。　The　old　hunter　was　fearless。　He　picked　up　a　rock。
　Nathan　Lee　tried　to　get　out　of　their　way；　but　the　ledge　was　small　and　crowded。　As　much　to　defend　himself　as　stop　the　fight；　he　threw　a　fist　at　the　side　of　Ochs's　head。　With　his　other　hand；　he　dragged　Rinchen　backward。
　Ochs　fell　over　the　woman's　legs。　He　bellowed　and　raised　up。　His　nose　was　mashed　to　one　side。　Blood　sopped　his　whiskers　and　fanned　across　the　front　of　his　parka。　Then　a　look　of　puzzlement　replaced　his　rage。
　Nathan　Lee　looked　around。
　Rinchen　had　vanished。
　Nathan　Lee　leaned　over　the　edge。　〃No；〃　he　whispered。
　Far　below；　Rinchen　was　careening　down　the　slope。　A　leg　broke　backward；　then　an　arm；　flapping　as　if　the　bone　had　been　taken　out。　Nathan　Lee　couldn't　take　his　eyes　away。　He　was　sure　the　broken　puppet　doll　would　go　the　distance；　a　vertical　half　mile。　But　four　hundred　feet　down；　Rinchen　tangled　in　the　handline。　The　pink　rope　cinched　around　his　broken　leg　and　he　whipped　to　a　savage　halt。　The　long　rope　jerked　and　gave　a　bowstring　twang。　There　he　dangled。
　Ochs　peeked　over　the　rim。　Beneath　the　sunburn　scabs　and　blood；　his　face　was　rigid　with　terror。　〃You　did　the　right　thing；〃　he　gasped。
　〃What？〃　said　Nathan　Lee。
　〃He　was　trying　to　kill　me。〃
　〃He　was　trying　to　stop　you。〃
　〃He's　dead；〃　Ochs　said。
　But　Rinchen　wasn't。　That　was　the　terrible　thing。　The　man　moved。　He　lifted　his　head。　He　raised　an　arm；　then　went　limp　again。
　Nathan　Lee　hooked　his　pack　with　one　hand。
　〃Now　what？〃　said　Ochs。
　〃He's　still　alive。〃
　Rinchen　thrashed　briefly　on　the　stretched　line；　then　lapsed　to　stillness　again。
　〃You　killed　him；〃　said　Ochs。　〃We　can't　change　that。〃
　Nathan　Lee　heard　the　cunning　at　work。　He　felt　a　pull　deep　in　his　bowels。　〃The　man　fell；〃　he　said　more　evenly。
　〃Sure；〃　said　Ochs。
　〃It　was　an　accident。　You　know　that。〃
　〃No　one　will　ever　miss　him。　Why　would　I　tell　anyone？〃
　Nathan　Lee　grew　alarmed。　Ochs　was　blackmailing　him。　He　steadied　himself。　Time　for　all　that　later。　There　was　an　injured　man　down　there。　Nathan　Lee　balanced　on　the　edge；　peering　over。　〃I'm　going　down　after　him。〃
　〃And　then　what？〃
　〃And　then　we're　done；〃　said　Nathan　Lee。
　〃How's　that。〃
　〃I'm　out。　Leave　me　out；　or　I'll　expose　you。　Do　you　hear？　It's　over。〃
　Softly；　Ochs　said；　〃I　hear。〃
　Nathan　Lee　didn't　register　the　cleaving　in　Ochs's　voice。　He　barely　felt　the　slight　touch　at　his　back。　Suddenly　he　was　just　falling。
　It　was　not　like　other　times　when　he　had　fallen。　On　a　cliff　you　dropped　through　open　space；　maybe　barking　the　stone　a　time　or　two　before　the　rope　caught　you。　There　was　no　rope　this　time；　no　free　fall。　The　slope　was　pitched　at　an　angle。　Rocky　slash　and　patches　of　ice　flashed　up　at　him。
　Nathan　Lee　slid。　He　hit　an　outcrop；　slowed；　reached　for　purchase；　then　pinballed　against　a　second　outcrop　and　accelerated　on　a　slide　of　ice。　His　only　hope　was　to　keep　his　feet　under　him；　to　stay　face　outward。　It　was　like　trying　to　run　at　terminal　velocity。　He　tried　grabbing　for　holds；　and　they　only　dissolved　in　his　hands。　He　cartwheeled。　A　gout　of　his　own　blood　spun　in　the　air。
　He　felt　the　blows　at　a　distance。　He　wondered　how　long　it　would　take　to　lose　consciousness；　then　realized　it　wasn't　going　to　be　that　easy。　Those　deafening　cracks　of　thunder　weren't　thunder；　but　his　helmet　clashing　and　banging。　He　was　going　to　be　a　witness　to　his　own　execution。
　The　pain　started　ing　through。　It　wasn't　specific　to　any　one　limb　or　rib；　more　like　bolts　of　lig