cp.reddice-第18节
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A glowing angel； flying above the world？
We play craps； dice； and I am the designated roller。 Without trying； I throw ten passes in a row and the table cheers me on。 Andy bets heavily； wins plenty； and drinks even more。 Before we leave the first table； he is drunk。 I scold him。
〃How can you be a scientist when you keep killing off your brain cells？〃 I ask。
He laughs； throwing an arm over my shoulder。 〃I'd rather be a lover than a scientist。〃
We walk down the Strip to another casino； the Excalibur。 Here it is even more crowded。 It is a fact that the town never sleeps。 We play blackjack； twenty…one。 I count cards； only betting heavily when the deck favors the player。 But the advantage from even perfect counting is limited； and we don't win any money。 Andy drags me back to the dice table…his favorite。 The dice e to me； and again I throw another six passes in a row。 But I don't want Andy to win too much and be free of debt。 Just as the sun begins to color the sky； I drag him back to the Mirage； to my hotel suite。 Once there； he falls on my bed； exhausted。
〃I hate what I do；〃 he mutters to the ceiling。
I hate that I can't read his mind。 It must be the booze。 I sit beside him。 〃Another hard night at work？〃
〃I shouldn't talk about it。〃
〃You can。 Don't worry…I'm good at keeping secrets。〃
〃My boss is crazy。〃
〃The general？〃
〃Yes。 He's stark raving mad。〃
〃What do you mean？ What is he doing？〃
Andy sits up and glances at me with bloodshot eyes。 〃Remember I told you we were working on an amazing discovery？〃
〃Yes。 You said it was one of the greatest discoveries of modern time。〃 I smile。 〃I thought you were trying to impress me。〃
He shakes his head。 〃I wasn't exaggerating。 We're playing with explosive genetic material； and that's putting it mildly。 This general has ordered us to artificially done it。 Do you know what that means？〃
I nod。 〃You're going to make more of it…in a test tube。〃
〃Yes。 That's a layman's view； but it is essentially correct。〃 He stares out the window； at the glitter that is the Strip。 When he speaks again； his voice reflects the horror he feds。 〃We are going to try to duplicate something that； if it got out； could affect all of mankind。〃
It's worse than I thought。 The charade must end。
He has given me an opening。 I must seize it。
〃Andy？〃 I whisper。
He looks at me。 I catch his eye。
〃Yes； Lara？〃 he says。
I do not push him； not yet； but I do not let him turn away either。 A narrow tunnel of whirling blue fog exists between us。 He is at one end； chained to a hard wall； and I am steadily rushing toward him； shadows at my back。 I hold his attention but slightly blur his focus。 Since ingesting Yaksha's blood； my mind…altering abilities are more refined； more powerful。 I have to be careful I don't destroy his brain。
〃My name is not Lara。〃
He tries to blink； fails。 〃What is it？〃
〃It doesn't matter。 I am not who I appear to be。〃 I pause。 〃I know what you are working on。〃
He hesitates。 〃How？〃
〃I know your prisoner。 He is a friend of mine。〃
〃No。〃
〃Yes。 I lied to you last night； and I'm sorry。 I won't lie to you anymore。 I came to Las Vegas for the purpose of freeing my friend。〃 I touch his knee。 〃But I didn't e to hurt you。 I didn't know I would end up caring for you。〃
He has to take a breath； 〃I don't understand what you're saying？〃
I have to relax my hold on him。 The pressure inside his skull is building。 Sweat stands out on his forehead。 Standing； I turn my back to him and walk to the window to look out at the Strip。 The Christmas decorations glitter even amid the neon in the faint light of the dawn。
〃But you do understand；〃 I say。 〃You are holding a prisoner； Joel Drake。 He is an FBI agent； but since you have begun to examine him you have e to see that he's much more than that。 His blood is different from that of most humans； and this difference makes him very strong； very quick。 That's why you keep him locked up in a special cell。 Your general tells you he is dangerous。 Yet this same general makes you and your partners work night and day so that you can change more people's blood to match that of the supposedly dangerous prisoner。〃 I pause。 〃Is this not accurate； Andy？〃
He is a long time answering。 His voice es out hesitantly。
〃How do you know these things？〃
I turn to face him。 〃I told you。 I am his friend。 I am here to rescue him。 I need your help。〃
Andy can't stop staring at me。 It's as if I'm a ghost。
〃They said there was another；〃 he mumbles。
〃Yes。〃
〃Are you the one？〃
〃Yes。〃
He winces。 〃Are you like him？〃
〃Yes。〃
He puts a hand to his head。 〃Oh God。〃
Once more； I sit beside him on the bed。
〃We are not evil；〃 I say。 〃I know what you must have been told； but it is not true。 We only fight when threatened。 The men and woman who died…on L。A。 trying to arrest us…we didn't want to harm them。 But they came after us； they cornered us。 We had no choice but to defend ourselves。〃
His head is buried in his hands。 He is close to weeping。 〃But you killed many others before that night。〃
〃That is not true。 The one who did the killing…he was an aberration。 His name was Eddie Fender。 He accidentally got a hold of our blood。 I stopped him； but Eddie is a perfect example of what can happen if this blood gets out。 You said it yourself a moment ago…it could affect all of humanity。 Worse； it would destroy all of humanity。 I am here to stop that。 I am here to help you。〃
He peers up at me； his fingers still covering much of his face。 〃That's why you can throw the dice the way you do？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃What else can you do？〃
I shake my head。 〃It doesn't matter。 All that matters is that more people are not allowed to bee like me and my friend。〃
〃How many are there of you？〃 he asks。
〃I thought there were just two of us left。 But I suspect you have another at the pound。〃 I pause。
He turns away。 〃I can't tell you。 I don't know who you are。〃
〃Yes； you know me better than anyone。 You've seen what my DNA is like。〃
He stands and walks to the far wall。 He puts a hand on it for support； breathing rapidly。 〃The man you speak of…Joel…he's ill。 He has fever； severe cramps。 We don't know what to do with him。〃 Andy struggles。 My revelation is too much for him。 〃Do you know？〃 he asks。
〃Yes。 Have you kept him out of the sunlight？〃
〃Yes。 He's in a cell； in a basement。 There is no sun〃 He pauses。 〃Is he allergic to the sun？〃
〃Yes。〃
Andy frowns。 〃But how does it make him ill？ I told you； he doesn't see it。〃
〃The sun is not what makes him ill。 I was only ruling out a possibility。 He is sick because he is hungry。〃
〃But we have fed him。 It doesn't help。〃
〃You are not feeding him what he needs。〃
〃What is that？〃
〃Blood。〃
Andy almost crumbles。 〃No；〃 he moans。 〃You're like vampires。〃
I stand and approach him cautiously； not wishing to scare him worse than I already have。 〃We are vampires； Andy。 Joel has been one only a few days。 I changed him in order to prevent him from dying。 Eddie had mortally wounded him。 Believe me； I don't go around making vampires。 It's against my… principles。〃
Andy struggles to get a grip on himself。 〃Who made you？〃
〃A vampire by the name of Yaksha。 He was the first of our kind。〃
〃When was this？〃
〃A long time ago。〃
〃When？〃 he demands。
〃Five thousand years ago。〃
My revealing my age does not help the situation。 The strength goes out of Andy； he slides to the floor。
Rolling into a ball； he recoils as I e closer。 I halt in midstride。
〃What do you want from me？〃 he mumbles。
〃Your help。 I need to get into your pound and get my friend out before the world is destroyed。 It is that simple。 The danger is that great。 And you know I'm not exaggerating。 Our blood in the hands of your general is more dangerous than plutonium in the hands of terrorists。〃
Andy nods weakly。 〃Oh； I believe that。〃
〃Then you will help me？〃
My question startles him。 〃What？ How can I help you？ You're some kind of monster。 You're the source of this danger。〃
I speak firmly。 〃I have walked this world since the dawn of history。 In all that time； there have been only myths and rumors of my existence； and the existence of others like me。 And those myths and rumors weren't based on fact。 They were just stories。 Because in all this time none of us has set out to destroy humanity。 Yet your general will do this； whether he wants to or not。 Listen to me； Andy！ He has to be stopped and you have to help me stop him。〃
〃No。〃
〃Yes！ Do you want him to clone Joel's blood？ Do you want that material shipped to a weapons plant in the heart of the Pentagon？〃
Anger shakes Andy。 〃No！ I want to destroy the blood！ I don't need your lectures。 I know what it can do。 I have studied it inside out。〃
I move closer； kneel on the floor beside him。 〃Look at me； Andy。〃
He lowers his head。 〃You might cast a spell on me。〃
〃I don't need spells to convince you of the truth。 I am not the enemy。 Without my assistance； you won't be able to stop this thing from progressing to the next level。 Try to imagine a society wher
