el.angeleyes-第106节

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　〃You　and　Mars。〃
　Valerie　came　closer　to　her。　〃Yes。〃
　〃But　you；　〃　she　said。　〃Why　did　you　have　to　lie　to　me？〃
　〃I　thought　I　was　protecting　you；〃　Valeri　said。　〃At　least；　that's　what　I　told　myself。　I　had　read　your　dossier；　I　knew　about　your　family　background；　what　you　had　suffered　at　the　hands　of　the　KGB。　I　convinced　myself　that；　though　I　sought　to　use　you　against　Mars；　I　would　spare　you　knowledge　about　him　that　would　cripple　you。　I　felt　that　if　you　were　ignorant　of　who　Mars　really　was；　you　would　be　more　natural　with　him。〃
　Valeri　shook　his　head　ruefully。　〃You　see；　koshka；　I've　bee　such　a　skillful　liar　that　I　had　no　trouble　fooling　myself。　I　didn't　understand　that　I　was　falling　in　love　with　you；　that　each　day　I　was　sending　you　out　into　incalculable　danger。　What　happened　to　Natasha…her　arrest　and　interrogation…could　have　happened　to　you；　had　Mars　begun　to　suspect　you　were　spying　on　him　for　me。　In　the　beginning　I　ignored　that　danger　because　I　was　obsessed　with　destroying　Mars。〃　He　moved　toward　her。　〃Then；　at　last；　I　understood　what　I　was　doing　to　you…and　to　myself。〃
　''Don't；''　Irina　said。　''I　no　longer　know　whether　I　want　to　be　close　to　you。　You　hurt　me　deeply；　Valeri。〃
　〃I　didn't　mean　to。　You　must　believe　that。〃
　Irina　said　nothing。
　Valeri　said；　〃You　must　have　forgiven　me。　You　came；　didn't　you？〃
　〃I　came　because　Odysseus　asked　me　to。　He　said　it　was　important；　that　I　would　have　a　chance　to　actively　work　for　freedom。　''
　〃He　was　right。〃
　Irina　stared　at　him。　〃But　right　now　Odysseus　is　beside　the　point。〃
　〃Is　he？〃　Valeri　said。　〃Why？　We　are　working　toward　the　same　end。〃
　〃Perhaps　it　is　your　methods　that　I　find　so　offensive。　Frankly；　from　where　I　stand　I　don't　see　all　that　much　difference　between　you　and　Mars。〃
　〃Mars　Volkov　has　been　systematically　interrogating　Odysseus　ever　since　he　came　out　of　his　a。　Mars　Volkov　picked　up　Natasha　Mayakova　and　subjected　her　to　articulated　interrogation。　What　does　that　mean？　Even　I　don't　know；　but　it　could　include　beating；　starving；　sleep　deprivation；　electric　shock；　drug　inj…〃
　〃Stop　it！〃　Irina　put　her　hands　to　her　ears。
　〃I　'm　just　trying　to　set　the　record　straight。''
　Irina's　shoulders　slumped。　〃Your　efforts　are　noted。〃
　〃Thank　you；〃　he　said　formally。
　There　was　a　deep；　almost　hostile　silence　between　them。　Before　it　went　on　long　enough　to　bee　irrevocable；　Valeri　said；　〃How　did　we　e　to　this　point；　koshka'？〃
　〃You　tell　me；〃　Irina　said　wearily。
　〃Do　you　want　me　to　say　it's　my　fault？　All　right。　It's　my　fault。　I　never　should　have　lied　to　you。　But　how　could　I　have　known　what　you'd　be　like？　How　could　I　possibly　have　trusted　you？〃
　''You　don't　see　it；　do　you？''　Irina　shook　her　head　sadly。　''You　condemn　yourself　with　your　own　words。　Look　at　what　your　work　has　made　of　you；　Valeri。　You　are　suspicious　of　everyone。　You　can't　allow　anyone　to　get　close　to　you　for　fear　they　may　turn　out　to　be　your　enemy。〃
　〃But　you're　wrong；　koshka。　I　was　close　to　Natasha　Mayakova。　My　heart　breaks　for　what　happened　to　her。　And　you；　Irina。　I　love　you。〃
　〃No；　Valeri。　I　don't　believe　you　know　the　meaning　of　the　word　love。　But　I　don't　blame　you。　Your　work　es　first；　it　always　has；　and　I　see　the　necessity　of　it。　Truly；　I　do。　I　don't　know　how　I　feel　about　you；　and　that's　all　right。　I　don't　think　it　a　good　idea　to　examine　that　part　of　me　right　now…maybe　ever。''
　〃Forever　is　a　long　time；　koshka。〃
　〃Especially　in　your　line　of　work；''　Irina　said。　''And　now　that　it's　mine…however　temporarily…I　suppose　we'd　better　get　on　with　it。〃
　〃Then　you'll　help　us？〃
　〃Oh；　Valeri；　how　your　face　lights　up。　Like　a　child　at　Easter。''　Irina　smiled。　''I　had　forgotten　how　nice　your　face　is　when　you're　happy。〃
　Valeri　gripped　her　arms。　〃Irina；　I　cannot　overemphasize　the　element　of　danger　involved。　Mars　is　out　for　my　blood。　He's　mobilized　the　KGB　Border　Guards　to　find　me。〃
　〃If　you're　trying　to　frighten　me；　you're　doing　a　first…class　job　of　it。〃
　〃You'll　be　more　careful　if　you're　frightened；〃　Valeri　said。　〃Now　listen；　you　need　to　get　to　my　apartment。　You　know　the　Toshiba　lap…top？　You　must　somehow　get　it　out　of　the　apartment。〃
　It　was　at　that　moment　that　Irina　almost　told　him　that　she　had　found　his　ghost　in　the　machine；　that　she　knew　much　of　the　inner　workings　of　White　Star；　including　the　identity　of　its　leader。　But　she　bit　her　lip　instead；　sure　that　he　would　not　allow　her　anywhere　near　his　apartment　if　he　knew　she　had　so　much　critical　information　inside　her　head。
　〃Once　I　get　it　out　of　your　apartment；　then　what？〃　Irina　said。　〃I　can't　very　well　walk　around　the　streets　of　Moscow　carrying　an　illegal　puter。〃
　〃Of　course　not；〃　Valeri　said。　〃Do　you　have　access　to　a　car？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃Ah；　good；〃　Valeri　said；　breathing　a　sigh　of　relief。　〃At　last；　the　tide　seems　to　be　turning　in　our　favor。''
　
　〃Don't　you　just　hate　Americans？〃　Mars　said。　
　〃I　met　an　American　once；〃　Captain　Nikolev　said。　〃I　was　off　duty；　of　course。　The　Border　Guards　is　not　something　the　state　wishes　tourists　to　be　aware　of。　I　met　him　outside　the　gates　to　the　Kremlin。　He　seemed　a　decent　chap；　really。　Full　of　questions；　but　he　had　no　real　idea　of　how　this　country　works。〃
　〃That's　just　it！〃　Mars　said　hotly。　〃Americans　have　no　idea　how　anything　works；　not　politics；　not　economics；　not　even　social　dynamics…especial　not　social　dynamics。　They're　far　too　busy　rooting　around　Bloomingdale's　and　Tiffany's　to　be　of　any　value　to　their　fellow　man。''
　〃Like　Khrushchev；　you　want　to　bury　them；　rade。〃　
　〃No；　Captain；　not　bury　them；〃　Mars　said。　〃I　want　to　eradicate　them。〃
　〃Then　you've　set　yourself　an　impossible　task。〃　
　Mars　looked　at　him。　〃Do　you　really　think　so？　That's　interesting；　ing　from　a　scholar　of　history。　Rome　fell；　so　did　Byzantium。　Why　not　America？〃
　〃To　be　brutal；　rade；　because　it　is　not　Democracy　that　has　been　found　deficient　as　a　form　of　government；　but　munism。　The　theories　of　Marx　and　Engels　are　simply　inadequate。　It's　a　fact；　sad　though　it　may　be　to　contemplate。　Poland；　Hungary；　Rumania；　Czechoslovakia；　East　Germany。　We've　had　to　relinquish　control　of　our　colonies　as　the　Western　nations　were　once　obliged　to　do　with　theirs。
　〃And　why　not？　Desperate　men　must　resort　to　desperate　measures。　Our　own　economy　is　in　a　shambles；　we　cannot　even　feed　our　own　people；　corruption　and　alcoholism　are　rampant　throughout　a　bureaucracy　that　is　second　to　none　in　its　bloatedness；　self…importance；　and　obstructionism。　We　simply　have　to　face　facts。　The　path　we　have　set　out　on　is　a　dead　end。〃
　〃And　where　are　we　to　go　then？〃　Mars　said　fiercely。　〃Where　will　it　end？　With　a　Bloomingdale's　and　Tiffany's　opening　on　Gorky　Street？　With　our　women　wearing　designer　blue　jeans　and　sequined　jackets？''　His　face　was　livid。　''That　is　not　the　solution；　to　lose　ourselves　in　the　mania　of　Americanization。　I　reject　that　despicable　notion！〃
　〃In　the　days　of　the　ancient　Britons；〃　Captain　Nikolev　said；　〃the　lure　of　Rome　was　irresistible。　It　was　an　endlessly　fascinating　place。〃
　〃A　pit　full　of　quicksand；〃　Mars　said。　〃There's　the　truth。〃
　〃If　only；〃　Nikolev　said　with　an　ironic　tone；　〃we　could　recognize　it。〃　His　eyes　darted　to　the　electronic　console　he　was　manning。
　〃What　is　it；　Captain？〃
　〃Irina　Ponomareva's　car；〃　Nikolev　said。　〃It's　begun　to　move。〃
　When　Irina　got　to　Valeri's　apartment；　she　circled　the　block　three　times；　cruising　slowly；　doing　what　Valeri　had　advised　her；　looking　for　KGB　men　who　might　be　staked　out；　watching　the　place。
　〃If　they　have　spared　anybody　at　all；　it　won't　be　more　than　one　man；〃　he　had　told　her。　〃They　know　I'm　not　stupid　enough　to　try　to　get　back　there。〃
　In　any　event；　Irina　used　a　great　deal　of　caution。　She　parked　around　the　back；　went　into　the　rear　entrance　of　the　building　next　door　and　down　into　the　cellar。　Valeri　had　told　her　that　his　building　and　the　one　next　to　it　had　once　been　one；　and　the　cellars　still　connected。
　Ten　minutes　later　Irina　emerged　into　the　hallway　of　Valeri's　building。
　She　stood　quietly　in　the　open　doorway　to　the　fire　stairs；　slowing　her　breathing；　trying　to　listen　for　small　sounds　beyond　the　pumping　of　her　heart。　Her　eyes　were　open　all　the　way　around　and　their　pupils　were　fully　dilated。
　Someone　came　out　of　his　apartment；　and　Irina　ducked　back　into　the　stairwell。　She　could　smell　boiled　cabbage　and　stale　tobacco。　The　door　closed；　a　key　turned；　and　heavy　footfalls　sounded　in　the　corridor。　The　elevator　whined；　opened；　closed；　whined　again；　descending　to　the　lobby。
　Stillness　creeping　like　shadows　with　the　movement　of　the　sun　across　the　afternoon　sky。
　There　were　no　dezhumayas　in　either　of　these　buildings；　snoops　who；　in　years　gone　by；　would　keep　track　of　everyone　and　everything　going　in　and　out。　Unofficial　adjuncts　to　the　KGB。　Some　things；　at　least；　had　finally　changed　in　Moscow。
　From　where　she　stood；　Irina　could　see　Valeri's　front　door。　It　looked　all　right。　Closed。　Just　as　she　had　left　it。　But　was　that　an　illusion？　Mars's　people　must　have　been　through　the　place；　if　only　to　be　thorough；　searching　for　clues　to　Valeri's　whereabouts。
　KGB。　Keep　calm。
　Irina　shuddered；　and　for　a　moment　her　resolve　wavered。　She　could　just　turn　around；　go　down　the　stairs　to　the　basement；　cross　over；　and　leave　via　the　building　next　door。　Simple。　No　one　would　know　that　she　had　even　e　near　the　place。
　But　the　fact　was　it　wa