cp.reddice-第2节

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n　instant　I　grasp　the　full　extent　of　their　suspicions。　They　know　that　whatever　plague　of　death　has　been　sweep…
　　ing　L。A。　is　municable。　Eddie　and　I　left　too　many　bodies　behind。　Also；　I　remember　the　cop　I　freed。　The　one　whose　blood　I　sampled。　The　one　I　told　I　was　a　vampire。　The　authorities　may　not　have　believed　that　man；　but　they　will　think　I　am　some　kind　of　demon　from　hell。
　　Joel　is　handcuffed　and　dragged　into　an　armored　vehicle。　He　casts　me　a　despairing　glance　before　he　vanishes。　I　curse　the　fact　that　I　listened　to　him。　Now　I；　too；　must　be　taken　into　the　vehicle。　Above　all；　I　must　stay　close　to　Joel。　I　don't　know　what　he'll　tell　them。　I　don't　know　what　they'll　do　with　his　blood。
　　Many　of　them　are　going　to　die；　I　realize。
　　The　SWAT　team　cocks　their　weapons。
　　They　call　again　for　me　to　surrender。
　　I　twirl　the　striker　on　the　lighter　and　touch　it　to　the　wood　I　have　gathered　around　Eddie's　body。　I　say　goodbye　to　his　ugly　head。　Hope　the　Popsicles　you　suck　in　hell　cool　your　cracked　and　bleeding　lips。　Casually；　while　the　inferno　spreads　behind　me；　I　step　out　the　front　door。
　　
　　They　are　on　me　in　an　instant。　Before　I　can　reach　the　curb；　my　arms　are　pulled　behind　me　and　I　am　handcuffed。　They　don't　even　read　me　my　rights。　You　have　the　right　to　a　pint　of　blood。　If　you　cannot　afford　one；　the　court　will　bleed　a　little　for　you。　Yeah；　I　think　sarcastically　as　they　shove　me　into　the　back　of　the　armored　vehicle　where　they　threw　Joel；　I　will　be　given　all　my　rights　as　an　American　citizen。　Behind　me　I　see　them　trying　to　put　out　the　fire。　Too　bad　they　brought　the　firepower　but　forgot　the　fire　engines。　The　house　is　a　funeral　pyre。　Eddie　Fender　will　leave　no　legacy　to　haunt　mankind。
　　But　what　about　me？　Joel？
　　Our　legs　are　chained　to　the　floor　of　the　vehicle。　Three　men　with　automatic　weapons　and　ghostly　faces　lit　from　a　single　overhead　light　sit　on　a　metal　bench　across　from　us；　weapons　trained　on　us。　No　one　speaks。　Another　two　armed　men　sit　up　front；　beside　the　driver。　One　carries　a　shotgun；　the　other　a　machine　gun。　They　are　separated　from　us　by　what　I　know　is　bulletproof　glass。　It　also　acts　as　soundproofing。　I　can　break　it　with　my　little　finger。
　　But　what　about　the　miniature　army　around　us？　They　won't　break　so　easily。　As　the　door　is　closed　and　we　roll　forward；　I　hear　a　dozen　cars　move　into　position　around　us。　The　chopper　follows　overhead；　a　spotlight　aimed　down　on　our　car。　Their　precautions　border　on　the　fanatical。　They　know　I　am　capable　of　extraordinary　feats　of　strength。　This　realization　sinks　deep　into　my　consciousness。　For　five　thousand　years；　except　for　a　few　isolated　incidents；　I　have　moved　unknown　through　human　history。　Now　I　am　exposed。　Now　I　am　the　enemy。　No　matter　what　happens；　whether　we　escape　or　die　trying；　my　life　will　never　be　the　same。
　　I'll　have　to　tear　up　my　credit　cards。
　　〃Where　are　you　taking　us？〃　I　ask。
　　〃You　are　to　remain　silent；〃　the　middle　one　says。　He　has　the　face　of　a　drill　sergeant；　leathery　skin；　deeply　etched　lines　cut　in　from　years　of　barking　mands。　Like　his　partners；　he　wears　a　flak　jacket。　I　think　I　would　look　nice　in　one。　I　catch　his　eye　and　smile　faintly。
　　〃What's　the　matter？〃　I　ask。　〃Are　you　afraid　of　a　young　woman？〃
　　〃Silence；〃　he　snaps；　shaking　his　weapon；　shifting　unfortably。　My　stare　is　strong　medicine。　It　can　burn　holes　in　brain　neurons。　My　voice　is　hypnotic；　when　I　wish　it　to　be。　I　could　sing　a　grizzly　to　sleep。　I　let　my　smile　widen。
　　〃May　I　have　a　cigarette？〃　I　ask。
　　〃No；〃　he　says　flatly。
　　I　lean　forward　as　far　as　I　can。　These　men；　for　all　their　plans；　have　not　e　as　well　prepared　as　Slim's　people　did。　Yaksha　had　them　bring　cuffs　made　of　a　special　alloy　that　1　could　not　break。　I　can　snap　these　like　paper。　Yet　they　are　seated　close　together；　these　SWAT　experts；　and　they　have　three　separate　weapons　leveled　directly　at　me。　They　could　conceivably　kill　me　before　I　could　take　out　all　of　them。　For　that　reason　I　have　to　take　a　subtle　approach。
　　Relatively　speaking。
　　〃I　don't　know　what　you've　been　told　about　me〃　I　continue。　〃But　I　think　it's　way　out　of　line。　I　have　done　nothing　wrong。　Also；　my　friend　here　is　an　FBI　agent。　He　shouldn't　be　treated　this　way。　You　should　let　him　go。〃　I　stare　deep　into　the　man's　eyes；　and　I　know　all　he　sees　is　my　widening　black　pupils；　growing　as　large　as　the　dark　sides　of　twin　moons。　I　speak　softly；　〃You　should　let　him　go　now。〃
　　
　　The　man　reaches　for　his　keys；　then　hesitates。　The　hesitation　is　a　problem。　Pushing　a　person's　will　is　always　a　hit…or…miss　proposition。　His　partners　are　watching　him　now；　afraid　to　look　at　me。　The　youngest　one　rises　half　off　his　bench。　He　is　suddenly　scared　and　threatens　me　with　his　weapon。
　　〃You　shut　your　goddamn　mouth！〃　he　yells。
　　I　lean　back　and　chuckle。　As　I　do；　I　catch　his　eye。　Fear　has　made　him　vulnerable；　he　is　an　easy　mark。　〃What　are　you　afraid　of？〃　I　ask。　〃That　your　mander　will　let　me　go？　Or　that　you'll　turn　around　and　shoot　him？〃　I　bore　my　gaze　into　his　head。　〃Yeah；　you　could　shoot　him。　Yeah；　that　might　be　fun。〃
　　〃Alisa；〃　Joel　whispers；　not　enjoying　my　game。
　　The　young　man　and　the　mander　exchange　worried　glances。　The　third　guy　has　sat　up；　panting；　not　really　understanding　what　is　happening。　Out　of　the　corner　of　my　eye；　I　see　Joel　shaking　his　head。　Let　him　see　me　at　my　worst；　I　think。　It　is　the　best　way　to　begin　our　new　relationship；　without　illusions。　My　eyes　dart　from　the　mander　to　the　young　one。　The　temperature　inside　their　craniums　is　increasing。　Ever　so　slightly；　each　weapon　begins　to　veer　toward　the　other　man's　chest。　Yet　I　know　I'll　have　to　push　them　a　lot　harder　to　get　them　to　let　me　go　or　kill　each　other。　It　is　not　necessary。　I　can　do　it　on　my　own。　Really；　I　just　want　to　distract　them　a　bit…
　　Before　I　break　them　in　two。
　　With　their　guns　aimed　away　from　me；　they　are　vulnerable　when　I　suddenly　shoot　my　legs　up；　snapping　ray　ankle　chains。　The　third　man；　the　one　I　have　left　untouched；　reacts　quickly；　by　human　standards。　But　he　is　moving　in　slow　motion　pared　to　a　five…thousand…year…old　vampire。　As　he　reaches　for　the　trigger　on　his　gun；　my　right　foot　lashes　out　and　my　big　toe　crushes　his　flak　jacket；　his　breastbone；　and　the　beating　heart　beneath　the　two。　The　heart　beats　no　more。　The　man　crumples　and　falls　into　a　pitiful　ball。
　　〃Should　have　given　me　the　cigarette；〃　I　say　to　the　mander　as　I　snap　my　handcuffs　and　reach　over　to　take　his　head　between　my　palms。　His　eyes　grow　round。　His　lips　move。　He　wants　to　tell　me　something；　maybe　apologize。　I'm　not　in　the　mood。　He　is　putty　in　my　hands；　Silly　Putty　once　I　squeeze　my　palms　together　and　crack　his　skull。　Now　his　mouth　falls　open　as　his　eyes　slowly　close。　His　brains　leak　out　the　back；　over　his　starched　collar。　I　don't　want　his　flak　jacket。
　　I　glance　over　at　the　young　one。
　　He's　more　scared　than　before。
　　I　just　stare　at　him。　He　has　forgotten　his　weapon。
　　〃Die；〃　I　whisper　intently。　My　will　is　poisonous；　when　I　am　mad；　and　now；　with　Yaksha's　blood　in　my　veins；　the　poison　is　worse　than　the　venom　of　a　cobra。　The　young　man　falls　to　the　floor。
　　His　breathing　stops。
　　Joel　looks　as　if　he　will　be　sick。
　　〃Kill　me；〃　he　swears。　〃I　cannot　stand　this。〃
　　〃I　am　what　I　am。〃　I　break　his　chains。　〃You　will　bee　what　I　am。〃
　　He　is　bitter。　He　has　no　illusions。　〃Never。〃
　　I　nod。　〃I　said　the　same　thing　to　Yaksha。〃　I　soften；　touch　his　arm。　〃I　cannot　let　them　take　you　or　me　into　custody。　We　could　have　a　thousand　Eddies　running　around。〃
　　〃They　just　want　to　talk　to　us；〃　he　says。
　　I　shake　my　head　as　I　glance　at　the　men　up　front；　unaware；　so　far；　of　what　has　happened　to　their　rades。　〃They　know　we　are　not　normal；〃　I　whisper。
　　Joel　pleads。　〃You　can　escape　far　more　easily　without　me。　Fewer　people　will　have　to　die。　Leave　me　behind。　Let　them　catch　me　in　a　shower　of　bullets。　My　blood　will　soak　the　pavement；　nothing　more。〃
　　〃You　are　a　brave　man；　Joel　Drake。〃
　　He　grimaces　as　he　glances　at　what　I　have　done　to　the　others。　〃I　have　spent　my　life　trying　to　help　people。　Not　destroy　them。〃
　　I　stare　softly　into　his　eyes。　〃I　can't　just　let　you　die。　You　don't　know　what　I　have　sacrificed　to　keep　you　alive。〃
　　He　pauses。　〃What　did　you　sacrifice？〃
　　I　sigh。　〃The　love　of　God。〃　I　turn　toward　the　men　at　the　front。　〃We　will　discuss　this　later。〃
　　Joel　stops　me　one　last　time。　〃Don't　kill　when　you　don't　have　to。〃
　　〃I　will　do　what　I　can；〃　I　promise。
　　The　bulletproof　glass　is　two　inches　thick。　Although　the　ceiling　of　the　van　forces　me　to　crouch；　I　am　able　to　leap　far　enough　off　the　floor　to　plant　two　swift　kicks　onto　the　barrier。　I　have　exceptionally　strong　legs。　The　glass　shatters　into　thousands　of　little　pellets。　Before　the　two　armed　men　can　turn；　I　reach　forward　and　knock　their　heads　together。　They　collapse　in　a　mangled　heap。　They　are　unconscious；　not　dead。　I　remove　the　revolver　from　the　hip　holster　of　the　driver　and　place　the　barrel　to　his　head。
　　〃The　men　in　the　back　are　dead；〃　I　whisper　in　his　ear。　〃If　you　glance　in　your　rearview　mirror　you　will　see　it　is　true。　But　I　have　allowed　your　partners　up　front　to　live。　That　is　because　I　am　a　nice　girl。　I　am　nice　and　I　am　nasty。　If　you　tell　me　where　we　are　headed；　I　will　be　nice　to　you。　If　you　don't；　if　you　try　to　alert　your　partners　on