thunter.fearloathinglasvegas-第12节

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xt　to　the　photo　was　a　large　black　headline：
　　
　　TORTURE　TALES　TOLD　IN　WAR　HEARINGS。
　　
　　WASHINGTON…Volunteer　witnesses　told　an　informal　congressional　panel　yesterday　that　while　serving　as　miliy　interrogators　they　routinely　used　electrical　tele…tione　hookups　and　helicopter　drops　to　torture　and　kill　ietnamese　prisoners。　One　Army　intelligence　specialist　iid　the　pistol　slaying　of　his　Chinese　interpreter　was　de…by　a　superior　who　said；　〃She　was　just　a　slope；　Lyway；〃　meaning　she　was　an　Asiatic。。。。
　　
　　Right　underneath　that　story　was　a　headline　saying：　FIVE　WOUNDED　NEAJi　NYC　TENEMENT。。。by　an　unidentified　gunman　who　fired　from　the　roof　of　a　building；　for　no　apparent　reason。　This　item　appeared　just　above　a　headline　that　said：　PHARMACY　OWNER　ARRESTED　IN　PROBE。。。〃a　result；〃　the　article　explained；　〃of　a　preliminary　investigation　（of　a　Las　Vegas　pharmacy）　showing　a　shortage　of　over　100；000　pills　considered　dangerous　drugs。。。
　　Reading　the　front　page　made　me　feel　a　lot　better。　Against　that　heinous　background；　my　crimes　were　pale　and　meaningless。　I　was　a　relatively　respectable　citizen…a　multiple　felon；　perhaps；　but　certainly　not　dangerous。　And　when　the　Great　Scorer　came　to　write　against　my　name；　that　would　surely　make　a　difference。
　　Or　would　it？　I　turned　to　the　sports　page　and　saw　a　small　item　about　Muhammad　Ali；　his　case　was　before　the　Supreme　Court；　the　final　appeal。　He'd　been　sentenced　to　five　years　in　prison　for　refusing　to　kill　〃slopes。〃
　　〃I　ain't　got　nothin'　against　them　Viet　Congs；〃　he　said。
　　Five　years。
　　
　　　10。　Western　Union　Intervenes：　A　Warning　from　Mr。　Heem。。。New　Assignment　from　the　Sports　Desk　and　a　Savage　Invitation　from　the　Police
　　
　　Suddenly　I　felt　guilty　again。　The　Shark！　Where　was　it？　I　tossed　the　paper　aside　and　began　to　pace。　Losing　control。　I　felt　my　whole　act　slipping。。。and　then　I　saw　the　car；　swooping　down　a　ramp　in　the　next…door　garage。
　　Deliverance！　I　grasped　my　leather　satchel　and　moved　forward　to　meet　my　wheels。
　　〃MISTER　DUKE！〃　The　voice　came　from　over　my　shoulder。
　　〃Mister　Duke！　We've　been　looking　for　you！〃　I　almost　collapsed　on　the　curb。　Every　cell　in　my　brain　and　body　sagged。　No！　I　thought。　I　must　be　hallucinating。　There's　nobody　back　there；　nobody　calling　。　。　。　it's　a　paranoid　delusion；　amphetamine　psychosis。。。just　keep　walking　towards　the　car；　always　smiling。。。。
　　〃MISTER　DUKE！　Wait！〃　Well。。。why　not？　Many　fine　books　have　been　written　in　on。　And　it's　not　like　I'll　be　a　total　stranger　up　there　in　Carson　City。　The　warden　will　recognize　me；　and　the　Con　Boss…I　once　interviewed　them　for　The　New　York　Times。　Along　with　a　lot　of　other　cons；　guards；　cops　and　assorted　hustlers　who　got　ugly；　by　mail；　when　the　article　never　appeared。
　　Why　not？　They　asked。　They　wanted　their　stories　told。　And　it　was　hard　to　explain；　in　those　circles；　that　everything　they　told　me　went　into　the　wastebasket　or　at　least　the　dead…end　file　because　the　lead　paragraphs　I　wrote　for　that　article　didn't　satisfy　some　editor　three　thousand　miles　away…some　nervous　drone　behind　a　grey　formica　desk　in　the　bowels　of　a　journalistic　bureaucracy　that　no　con　in　Nevada　will　ever　understand…and　that　the　article　finally　died　on　the　vine；　as　it　were；　because　I　refused　to　rewrite　the　lead。　For　reasons　of　my　own。　None　of　which　would　make　much　sense　in　The　Yard。　But　what　the　hell？　Why　worry　about　details？　I　turned　to　face　my　accuser；　a　small　young　clerk　with　a　big　smile　on　his　face　and　a　yellow　envelope　in　his　hand。　〃I've　been　calling　your　room；〃　he　said。　〃Then　I　saw　you　standing　outside。〃　I　nodded；　too　tired　to　resist。　By　now　the　Shark　was　beside　me；　but　I　saw　no　point　in　even　tossing　my　bag　into　it。　The　game　was　up。　They　had　me。
　　The　clerk　was　still　smiling。　〃This　telegram　just　came　for　you；〃　he　said。　〃But　actually　it　isn't　for　you。　It's　for　somebody　named　Thompson；　but　it　says　'care　of　Raoul　Duke'；　does　that　make　sense？〃　I　felt　dizzy。　It　was　too　much　to　absorb　all　at　once。　From　freedom；　to　prison；　and　then　back　to　freedom　again…all　in　thirty　seconds。　I　staggered　backwards　and　leaned　on　the　car；　feeling　the　white　folds　of　the　canvas　top　beneath　my　trembling　hand。　The　clerk；　still　smiling；　was　poking　the　telegram　at　me。
　　I　nodded；　barely　able　to　speak。　〃Yes；〃　I　said　finally；　〃it　makes　sense。〃　I　accepted　the　envelope　and　tore　it　open：
　　
　　URGENT　SPEED　LETTER
　　
　　HUNTER　S。　THOMPSON　c/o　RAOUL　DUKE　SOUNDPROOF　SUITE　1850
　　
　　MINT　HOTEL　LAS　VEGAS
　　
　　CALL　ME　AT　ONCE　REPEAT　AT　ONCE　WE　HAVE　A　NEW　ASSIGNMENT　BEGINNING　TOMORROW　ALSO　VEGAS　DONT　WE　STOP　THE　NATIONAL　CONFERENCE　OF　DISTRICT　ATTORNEYS　INVITES　YOU　TO　THEIR　FOUR　DAY　SEMINAR　ON　NARCOTICS　AND　DANGEROUS　DRUGS　AT　DUNES　HOTEL　STOP　ROLLING　STONE　CALLED　THEY　WANT　50　THOUSAND　WORDS　MASSIVE　PAYMENT　TOTAL　EXPENSES　INCLUDING　ALL　SAMPLES　STOP　WE　HAVE　RESERVATIONS　AT　HOTEL　FLAMINGO　AND　WHITE　CADDY　CONVERTIBLE　STOP　EVERYTHING　IS　ARRANGED　CALL　IMMEDIATELY　FOR　DETAILS　URGENT　REPEAT　URGENT　STOP　DOCTOR　GONZO
　　
　　〃Holy　shit！〃　I　muttered。　〃This　can't　be　true！〃
　　〃You　mean　it's　not　for　you？〃　the　clerk　asked；　suddenly　nervous。　〃I　checked　the　register　for　this　man　Thompson。　We　don't　show　him；　but　I　thought　he　was　part　of　your　team。〃
　　〃He　is；〃　I　said　quickly。　〃Don't　worry；　I'll　get　it　to　him。〃　I　tossed　my　bag　into　the　front　seat　of　the　Shark；　wanting　to　leave　before　my　stay　of　execution　ran　out。　But　the　clerk　was　still　curious。
　　〃What　about　Doctor　Gonzo？〃　he　said。
　　I　stared　at　him；　giving　him　a　full　taste　of　the　mirrors。　〃He's　fine；〃　I　said。　〃But　he　has　a　vicious　temper。　The　Doctor　handles　our　finances；　makes　all　our　arrangements。〃　I　slid　into　the　driver's　seat　and　prepared　to　leave。
　　The　clerk　leaned　into　the　car。　〃What　confused　us；〃　he　said；　〃was　Doctor　Gonzo's　signature　on　this　telegram　from　Los　Angeles…when　we　knew　he　was　here　in　the　hotel。〃　He　shrugged。　〃And　then　to　have　the　telegram　addressed　to　some　guest　we　couldn't　account　for　。。　。　well；　this　delay　was　unavoidable。　You　understand；　I　hope。。。。〃　I　nodded；　impatient　to　flee。　〃You　did　the　right　thing；〃　I　〃Never　try　to　understand　a　press　message。　About　half　time　we　use　codes…especially　with　Doctor　Gonzo。〃　I　smiled　again；　but　this　time　it　seemed　a　trifle　odd。　〃Tell　me；〃　he　said；　〃when　will　the　doctor　be　awake？〃　I　tensed　at　the　wheel；　〃Awake？　What　do　you　mean？〃　He　seemed　unfortable。　〃Well。。。the　manager；　Mister　Heem；　would　like　to　meet　him。〃　Now　his　grin　was　definitely　malevolent。　〃Nothing　unusual。　Mr。　Heem　likes　to　meet　all　our　large　accounts。。。put　them　on　a　personal　basis。。。just　a　chat　and　a　handshake；　you　understand。〃
　　〃Of　course；〃　I　said。　〃But　if　I　were　you　I'd　leave　the　doctor　alone　until　after　he's　eaten　breakfast。　He's　a　very　crude　man。〃　The　clerk　nodded　warily。　〃But　he　will　be　available。　Perhaps　later　this　morning？〃　I　saw　what　he　was　getting　at。　〃Look；〃　I　said。　〃That　telegram　was　all　scrambled。　It　was　actually　from　Thompson；　not　to　him。　Western　Union　must　have　got　the　names　reversed。〃　I　held　up　the　telegram；　knowing　he'd　already　read　it。　〃What　this　is；〃　I　said；　〃is　a　speed　message　to　Doctor　Gonzo；　upstairs；　saying　Thompson　is　on　his　way　out　from　L。A。　with　a　new　assignment…a　new　work　order。〃　I　waved　him　off　the　car。　〃See　you　later；〃　I　snapped。　〃I　have　to　get　out　to　the　track。〃　He　backed　away　as　I　eased　the　car　into　low　gear。　〃There's　no　hurry；〃　he　called　after　me。　〃The　race　is　over。〃
　　〃Not　for　me；〃　I　said；　tossing　him　a　quick　friendly　wave。
　　〃Let's　have　lunch！〃　he　shouted　as　I　turned　into　the　street。
　　〃Righto！〃　I　yelled。　And　then　I　was　off　into　traffic。　After　a　few　blocks　in　the　wrong　direction　on　Main　Street；　I　doubled　back　and　aimed　south；　towards　L。A。　But　with　all　deliberate　speed。　Keep　cool　and　slow；　I　thought。　Just　drift　to　the　city　limits。。。。
　　What　I　needed　was　a　place　to　get　safely　off　the　road；　out　of　sight；　and　ponder　this　incredible　telegram　from　my　attorney。　It　was　true；　I　was　certain　of　that。　There　was　a　definite　valid　urgency　in　the　message。　The　tone　was　unmistakable。　。
　　But　I　was　in　no　mood　or　condition　to　spend　another　week　in　Las　Vegas。　Not　now。　I　had　pushed　my　luck　about　as　far　as　it　was　going　to　carry　me　in　this　town。。。all　the　way　out　to　the　edge。　And　now　the　weasels　were　closing　in；　I　could　smell　the　ugly　brutes。
　　Yes；　it　was　definitely　time　to　leave。　My　margin　had　shrunk　to　nothing。
　　Now　idling　along　Las　Vegas　Boulevard　at　thirty　miles　an　hour；　I　wanted　a　place　to　rest　and　formalize　the　decision。　It　was　settled；　of　course；　but　I　needed　a　beer　or　three　to　seal　the　bargain　and　stupefy　that　one　rebellious　nerve　end　that　kept　vibrating　negative。。。
　　It　would　have　to　be　dealt　with。　Because　there　was　an　argument；　of　sorts；　for　staying　on。　It　was　treacherous；　stupid　and　demented　in　every　way…but　there　was　no　avoiding　the　stench　of　twisted　humor　that　hovered　around　the　idea　of　a　gonzo　journalist　in　the　grip　of　a　potentially　terminal　drug　episode　being　invited　to　cover　the　National　District　Attorneys'　Conference　on　Narcotics　and　Dangerous　Drugs。
　　There　was　also　a　certain　bent　appeal　in　the　notion　of　running　a　savage　burn　on　one　Las　Vegas　Hotel　and　then…instead　of　being　a　doomed　fugitive　on　the　highway　to　L。A。…just　wheeling　across　town；　trading　in　the　red　Chevy　convertible　for　a　white　Cadillac　and　checking　into　another　Ve