thedestroyer.slavesafari-第21节

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　〃I　can　hardly　wait；〃　the　first　soldier　said。　〃Where　are　those　bastards　anyway？〃
　〃Right　here；〃　Remo　said。　He　stood　on　the　balcony　looking　down　toward　the　main　entrance。　At　his　side　stood　the　tiny　Chiun；　wearing　not　his　customary　robe；　but　a　black　Ninja　costume　which　he　wore　only　at　night。
　〃I　said；　right　here；　you　stupid　gorilla　bastard；〃　Remo　said；　louder　this　time。
　Chiun　shook　his　head。　〃Always　on　display；〃　he　said。　〃Do　you　never　learn？〃
　〃I　don't　know；　Chiun。　Something　about　him　there　just　pisses　me　off。〃
　〃Hey；　you；　get　down　out　of　there。〃　The　sergeant　spoke。
　〃e　and　get　us；〃　Remo　said。　〃Use　the　stairs。　They　work　both　ways。〃
　〃You　e　down　from　there　or；　by　God；　we're　gonna　plug　you。〃
　〃You're　all　under　arrest；〃　Remo　said；　seeing　himself　as　Gary　Grant　hi　the　temple　of　the　thugs。
　Chiun　leaned　against　the　railing；　shaking　his　head　in　disgust。
　The　sergeant　started　for　the　stairs；　followed　by　the　other　five　soldiers。　They　moved　slowly　and　Remo　wondered　why。
　〃Oh；　oh；〃　Remo　said。　〃I　just　thought。　If　they　foe　their　guns；　the　guys　outside'll　hear　it　and　e　in；〃　Remo　whispered　to　Chiun。
　〃I　doubt　much　that　you　'just　thought'　of　anything；〃　Chiun　said；　〃since　you　seem　incapable　of　thought。　But　if　that　worries　you；　don't　let　them　fire　guns；〃　Chiun　said　as　if　that　answered　everything。
　〃Of　course；〃　Remo　said。　〃Why　didn't　I　think　of　that？　Don't　let　those　six　men　fire　their　guns。〃
　〃Not　six。　Ten；〃　a　voice　said　from　behind　Remo。　He　turned。　Standing　in　an　open　doorway　was　another　soldier　in　Busati　whites。　He　carried　an　automatic。　Behind　him　in　the　dimness；　Remo　could　see　three　more　men。　He　realized　now　why　the　sergeant　had　been　very　slow　about　leading　his　men　upstairs；　he　was　waiting　for　the　other　half　of　the　trap　to　close。
　〃I　surrender；〃　Remo　said；　raising　his　hands。
　〃A　wise　decision；　friend；〃　the　soldier　with　the　automatic　said。　He　nodded　to　the　other　three　men　who　poured　out　of　the　room　and　joined　the　six　men　ing　up　the　stairs。　They　put　their　guns　away；　slinging　them　back　over　their　chests；　as　they　surrounded　Remo　and　the　small　Korean。
　After　all；　ten　against　two　did　not　require　weapons；　did　they？
　Of　course　not。
　The　sergeant；　who　was　the　house　doorman；　as　much　as　told　them　that　before　he　felt　himself　being　lifted　up　by　the　small　Oriental；　and　then　being　spun　around　as　if　he　were　a　long　stick　and　used　as　a　battering　ram　against　the　other　men。
　The　soldier　who　had　been　in　the　doorway　reached　for　his　automatic　again　to　free　it　from　the　holster。　But　the　holster　was　gone；　ripped　away　from　his　side　by　the　young　American。　〃This　yours？〃　Remo　said。　Stupidly；　the　soldier　nodded。　Remo　gave　them　back。　Holster；　automatic　and　ammunition　right　through　the　soldier's　face　into　his　throat。　Deep。
　Behind　him；　Remo　heard　the　thwack；　thwack；　thwack；　the　machinelike　periodicity　that　meant　Chiun　was　at　work。
　〃Chiun；　keep　one　of　them　alive；〃　Remo　yelled；　before　two　soldiers　were　on　him。　Then　he　violated　his　own　injunction；　dropping　them　heavily　onto　the　body　of　the　soldier　whose　face　had　sprouted　a　gun。
　Then　there　were　no　more　sounds。　Remo　turned　to　Chiun　who　was　releasing　the　feet　of　the　sergeant　he　had　used　as　a　battering　ram。　The　soldier　slipped　shapelessly　onto　a　pile　of　bodies。
　〃Chiun；　dammit；　I　said。。。〃
　Chiun　raised　a　hand。　〃This　one　breathes；〃　he　said。　〃Therefore　present　your　lectures　to　someone　who　needs　them。　Perhaps　you　might　talk　to　yourself。〃
　The　sergeant　groaned　and　Remo　reached　down　and　yanked　him　roughly　to　his　feet。
　〃The　girls；〃　Remo　said。　〃Where　are　they？〃
　The　sergeant　shook　his　head　to　clear　it。　〃All　this　for　women？〃
　〃Where　are　they？〃　Remo　said。
　〃The　room　at　the　end　of　the　hall。〃
　〃Show　us。〃　。
　Remo　shoved　the　sergeant　who　led　the　way　down　the　wide　oak…planked　hallway；　staggering　slightly　from　side　to　side。　A　head　wound　dripped　blood　onto　his　white　unif　orm。　His　right　arm　hung　limply；　a　shoulder　separation；　Remo　thought。　He　grabbed　the　sergeant's　right　wrist　and　yanked；　then　choked　off　the　sergeant's　scream　by　tossing　his　hand　around　the　soldier's　mouth。
　〃Just　a　reminder；〃　Remo　growled；　〃that　we　ain't　your　friendly　neighborhood　team　of　United　Nations　advisors。　No　tricks。〃
　The　sergeant；　his　eyes　wide　with　fright　and　pain；　nodded　quickly；　almost　frantically。
　He　walked　faster；　then　stopped　outside　a　large　oak　door　at　the　end　of　the　hall。　〃In　there；〃　he　said。
　〃You　first。〃
　The　sergeant　unlocked　the　door　with　a　key　from　a　ring　on　his　belt；　pushed　open　the　door　and　stepped　inside。
　The　room　was　just　beginning　to　be　lit　by　the　first　dim　blush　of　the　morning　sun。　Remo　forced　the　pupils　of　his　eyes　to　wide；　and　in　the　darkness；　he　could　see　four　bunks。　Each　was　occupied。
　The　four　women　in　the　beds　were　naked。　They　were　tied　with　ropes；　their　arms　up　over　their　heads　lashed　to　the　bed　posts。　Their　legs　pulled　wide　apart　and　their　ankles　tied　to　the　posts　at　the　foot　of　the　beds。　Cloth　gags　were　in　their　mouths。
　In　the　faint　glints　of　light　from　the　window　and　from　the　hallway；　then…　eyes　sparkled　as　they　watched　Remo。　They　looked　like　animals　peering　from　the　dark　ring　around　a　campfire。
　The　room　smelled　of　excrement　and　sweat。　Remo　brushed　past　the　sergeant　and　entered　the　room。　The　sergeant　looked　around　but　Chiun　stood　in　the　doorway　behind　him；　blocking　escape。
　Remo　took　the　gag　from　the　girl　in　the　nearest　bunk　and　as　he　did　leaned　forward　close　enough　to　see　her　clearly。　Her　face　was　scarred　and　broken。　One　eye　had　been　deformed　from　a　badly　healed　beating。　Her　mouth　was　toothless。
　Whip　marks　covered　her　naked　front　from　her　face　to　her　ankles。　Hard　black　cankers　dotted　her　body　where　it　had　been　used　as　an　ashtray。
　Remo　released　the　gag　and　said；　〃Don't　worry。　We're　friends。　You're　going　to　be　all　right　now。〃
　〃Be　all　right；〃　she　repeated　dully。　She　smiled　suddenly；　the　toothless　grimace　of　an　old　hag。　Her　eyes　sparkled。　〃Treat　you　nice；　mister。　You　like　to　whip　me？　I　do　everything　if　you　whip　me。　Hard。　You　like　hard？　I　like　hard。　Make　me　bleed；　I　treat　you　nice；　mister。　You　like　kiss　me？〃　She　puckered　up　her　mouth　and　scroontched　an　imaginary　kiss　toward　Remo。
　He　shook　his　head　and　backed　away　from　her。
　〃Hee；　hee；　hee；〃　the　vision　cackled。　〃I　got　money。　I　treat　you　right　if　you　whip　me　hard。　My　family　is　rich。　I　pay。　Just　hit　me；　soldier　boy。〃
　Remo　turned　away。　He　went　to　two　more　girls。　They　were　the　same。　Lamed；　twisted；　mindless　husks　that　once　were　people。　None　of　them　could　have　been　much　over　twenty；　but　they　spoke　with　the　grim　sadness　of　ancient　wizened　women　who　sit　on　corners　and　whose　eyes　suddenly　light　up　as　they　remember　something　nice　that　once　happened　to　them。　Nice　was；　for　these　girls；　the　whip；　the　chain；　the　knife；　the　extinguished　cigarette。
　〃The　fourth　girl　began　to　cry　when　Remo　removed　her　gag。　〃Thank　God；〃　she　said。　〃Thank　God　for　somebody。〃
　〃Who　are　you？〃　Remo　asked。
　Through　her　tears　and　sobbing；　she　said；　〃I'm　Hillary　Butler。　They　kidnaped　me。　I've　been　here　two　days。〃
　〃Kinda　rough；　kid；　huh？〃
　〃Please；〃　she　said。　Remo　began　to　free　her。
　Behind　him；　he　heard　the　sergeant　start　to　speak。　〃I　have　nothing　to　do　with　it；　man；〃　but　his　words　were　cut　off　as　he　oomphed；　Chiun　putting　a　hard　hand　into　his　back。
　〃Who　are　these　others？〃　Remo　asked；　as　he　tore　the　knots　from　Hillary　Butler's　ropes。
　〃I　don't　know；〃　she　said。　〃Americans　too；　the　sergeant　said。　But　there's　nothing　much　left　of　them。　They're　on　heroin。〃
　〃You　too？〃　Remo　asked。
　〃Just　twice；〃　the　girl　said。　〃Last　night　was　the　first　time；　and　then　this　morning。〃
　〃You　may　be　all　right　then；〃　Remo　said。　〃It　doesn't　work　that　way。〃
　〃I　know。〃　The　girl　stood　up　and　then　suddenly　put　her　bare　arms　around　Remo　and　began　to　sob　heavily。　〃I　know；〃　she　blubbered。　〃I've　been　praying。　And　I　knew　when　I　stopped　praying　that　it　would　be　all　over。　I'd　be　just　like　them。〃
　〃It's　okay　now；〃　Remo　said。　〃We　got　here　in　time。　At　least　for　you。〃　He　led　her　to　a　closet　where　robes　hung　and　covered　her　uncut　naked　body　with　one。　〃Can　you　walk？〃　he　asked。
　〃Just　bruised　but　unbroken；〃　she　said。
　Remo's　voice　grew　hard　and　cold。　〃Chiun；　take　Miss　Butler　downstairs　and　wait　for　me。　You；〃　tie　said　to　the　sergeant。
　〃Get　hi　here。〃
　Reluctantly；　the　sergeant　entered　the　room。　Remo　closed　the　door　behind　him；　after　watching　Chiun　lead　Hillary　Butler　down　the　hallway。
　〃How　long　have　these　girls　been　here？〃　Remo　asked。
　〃Different　times；〃　the　sergeant　said。　〃Three　months。　Seven　months。〃
　〃You　give　them　the　narcotics？〃
　The　sergeant　looked　toward　the　closed　door。　He　looked　toward　the　window　where　the　sky　was　brightening　with　the　pre…dawn　sun　rays。
　〃Answer　me；〃　Remo　said。
　〃Yes；　boss。　I　give　them。　They　die　now　without　them。〃
　〃There　was　a　man　named　Lippincott　who　came　here。　Where　is　he？〃
　〃Dead。　He　killed　one　of　the　girls。　She　recognized　him；　probably。　So　he　got　killed　too。〃
　〃Why　all　the　soldiers　here　tonight？〃
　〃General　Obode　put　the　guard　here。　He　expected　someone　to　break　in；　Must　have　meant　you。　Look；　I　got　some　money。　If　you　let　me　go；　it's　yours。〃
　Remo　shook　his　head。
　The　sergeant's　eyes　brightened。　〃You　like　the　girls；　mister？　They　take　good　care　of　you。　I　housebreak　them　well。　Anything　you　want；　they　do。〃　His