el.angeleyes-第111节
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〃Is this true？〃 Nikolev asked Russell anxiously。 〃Perhaps my English will be inadequate。〃
〃Your accent isn't terrible；〃 Tori said。 〃But Mr。 Slade will； I think； tax your vocabulary。''
Nikolev laughed softly。 〃I like humor；〃 he said。 〃Especially in a woman。 It's very fortable； don't you think？〃
〃I think you mean forting；〃 Tori said。 〃And that depends on the type of humor。''
〃Perhaps if I get to know you better； I will receive an entire catalogue of humor；〃 Nikolev said； clearly delighted。 〃I would wele that。 It's said the Romans of Augustus Caesar's day had much humor。〃
Nikolev patiently watched the silent interplay between Tori and Russell before saying； 〃I know。 You're thinking again； 'What does this bozo want？' By the way； what is a bozo？〃
〃Know what a clown is？〃 Russell said。 〃Same thing。〃
〃I see。〃 Nikolev seemed to frown a little。 Then the first course came； and he brightened。 〃It's a set menu here。 I hope you don't mind not being able to choose。〃
''We're getting used to it；〃 Tori said。
They ate more or less in silence。 When the plates were cleared of the last course； Nikolev said； 〃Was it so bad？〃
〃Lutece it isn't；〃 Russell said； plopping sugar into his strong Russian tea。
〃Ah； a restaurant in Paris。〃
〃Close；〃 Russell said。
Captain Nikolev nodded； apparently satisfied。 〃In any case； I think we all feel better now； yes？〃
〃Maybe some of us do；〃 Russell said pointedly。
〃What Mr。 Slade means；〃 Tori said hurriedly； 〃is that we're still a bit bewildered。 Obviously you want something from us； but we still have no idea what it is。〃
〃That's all right for now；〃 Nikolev said。 〃Can we say that this time together has proven that we can 。 。 。 talk to one another？〃
Russell said； 〃Depends about what。〃
Captain Nikolev looked at him for some time； as if he could not make up his mind about something important。 ''It's a matter of trust； isn't it？〃 he said。 He took out a handkerchief； wiped his brow。 〃I have no idea whether I can trust you。〃
Russell； who had just taken some tea； was so surprised he almost choked on it。 He began to cough； and his eyes teared。 Tori just sat and stared at Nikolev as if he were out of his mind。
〃Have I said something odd？〃
〃You bet you have；〃 Tori said。
Russell said； 〃You； Captain； are the goddamnedest Russian I have ever met。〃
〃Yes？ Well； perhaps that is something to be proud of。〃
〃You said something before about a proposal；〃 Tori said。
〃Have I your assurance that you'll listen to what I have to say？〃
〃I'm more paranoid than she is；〃 Russell said。 〃What kind of proposal？〃
〃An 。 。 。 exchange of information。〃
〃You first； Ivan。〃
〃Russell！〃 Tori said。
〃What？〃 Russell retorted。 〃Remember where we are； Tori。 In a country where we're guilty until proven guilty。 Anything we say or do from now on will be used against us in a place not unlike the building across the street。 Talking to this guy's like trying to stand in quicksand。 I think he's as loony as Daffy Duck。〃
〃Excuse me；〃 Captain Nikolev said。 〃This Daffy Duck； is he a bozo as well？〃
Tori put her hands over her face。
Russell said； 〃Yeah。〃 Then he turned to her。 〃This isn't happening。〃
〃It isn't？〃 Nikolev said； clearly confused。
Russell said； ''Where are the guys in baggy pants to squirt us with seltzer？〃
〃They have seltzer here；〃 Nikolev said； calling a waiter。 He was trying to be helpful。
〃That's all right；〃 Tori said。 She told the waiter in Russian to forget it； and he retreated。 Tori hunched over the table。 ''Captain； we have nothing to hide。 I want that understood from the outset。〃
Nikolev nodded。
〃On the other hand； 。Mr。 Slade and I have no way to know whether we can trust you。''
〃Tori； for God's sake…〃
〃I understand；〃 Captain Nikolev said。 His expression showed something of his relief。 〃It is like a 。。。 Mexican shootout； yes？〃
〃Standoff；〃 Russell said。 〃A Mexican standoff。〃
Captain Nikolev nodded soberly。 〃Thank you。 I will remember that。 American idioms are so 。。。 inprehensible。〃
〃Tell me about it。〃
〃Pardon？ I just did。〃
〃Let's not start this all over again；〃 Tori said。 She spread her hands on the table palms up。 〃How do you wish to proceed； Captain？〃
〃I would like to make my proposal。。。 but not here。〃
〃Where？〃 Russell said。
〃A villa。 In the Lenin Hills。〃
Tori smiled。 〃Captain； please try to see this situation from our point of view。 We have had no assurances from you…〃
〃I am speaking English；〃 Nikolev said immediately。 〃KGB agents are not supposed to reveal such things。 We are to pretend ignorance of English so as to learn more。〃
Russell said； 〃To my way of thinking； that's damn little in the way of assurances。''
〃Be fair；〃 Tori said。 〃We haven't given him much； either。〃 She said to Nikolev。 〃We'll listen to your proposal； Captain； but that's all we'll agree to。〃
Captain Nikolev nodded。
Russell groaned。 〃Great。 Either way； I think we're about to get fucked。〃
At approximately the time that Tori and Russell were stuck at Immigration at Sheremetyevo； Mars Volkov was embracing Irina。 Then he pushed her from him； held her at arm's length so he could look into her eyes。 〃I was getting worried about you；〃 he said。 〃Your amateur sleuthing is all well and good…and believe me when I tell you I owe you an enormous debt of gratitude…but with Valeri and his KGB stooges on the loose； when I didn't hear from you； I feared the worst。 In fact； I was just about to call the police when you showed up。 How fortuitous！〃
〃Fortuitous； indeed。〃 KGB。 Keep calm。 Irina was careful to let none of the terror she felt leak into her voice。 He's not yet ready to reveal himself； she thought。 That means he wants something from me。 What？ 〃It seems that the KGB were watching Valeri's apartment。 They almost caught me。〃
〃It's a good thing I'm here； then；〃 Mars said。
The rain beat against the windshield of the car。 The world was contracting into a tiny gray ball the size of a prison cell。 Irina felt the irrational urge to look at the Toshiba portable to make sure it was still there。 Of course it was。 She stared steadfastly into the teeming mist。
〃You're without wipers；〃 Mars said。
〃They were stolen。 It's my fault。 I forgot to take them with me one day。〃
He shrugged。 〃There are more in the trunk。 I'll get a pair。〃
Irina watched him as he slid across the backseat； got out； went around to the rear of the car。 She put her hands on the steering wheel； then let one slip to the gear lever。 She saw Mars open the trunk； bend down。
All she had to do was release the hand brake； throw the car in gear； and crash out of the prison Mars was contemplating for her。 Simple。 Irina felt her muscles tighten in preparation for the move。 Or was it so simple？ Where was the Bonier Guards contingent that had had Valeri's apartment cordoned off？ Surely they hadn't gone and left Mars here on his own。
Her hands were shaking so badly that she did not believe that she could drive property。 Not in this downpour。 Not without windshield wipers。
She heard the trunk slam； and she gave a little cry as her heart skipped a beat。 Then Mars was ing around； attaching the blades。 He did this with one hand。 When； a moment later； he returned to the car； he slipped into the front passenger's seat。 He put Valeri's Toshiba between his legs。
Irina looked down； saw a pistol in Mars's right hand。 It was pointed toward the floorwell。
''I thought I saw one of Valeri's KGB men；'' Mars said when he saw where she was looking。 〃A kind of war has broken out between the two of us。'' He put the gun away。 ''I'm afraid you almost got killed ing between us。〃
〃I've done what you asked。〃 Irina wondered whether her voice sounded as brittle to Mars as it did to her。 She hoped not。 〃Didn't I discover the connection between Natasha and Valeri？〃
〃Yes；〃 he said。 〃You did。 And； as I said； I'm grateful。 Valeri and I had e to an odd kind of stalemate。 Surveillance on either side had bee virtually impossible。 We knew each other's people far too well。〃 He smiled。 〃Then you came to me like an angel from heaven。 For that I am also grateful。〃
The interior of the car had begun to steam up； and he rolled down his window a bit。 Rain pattered against the edge； sending a fine spray onto his shoulder。 He took no notice。 〃But I'm also puzzled； Irina。 What were you doing in Valeri's apartment？〃
〃Trying to find the answer to the mystery of White Star。〃 She turned to face him； thinking； Was it you who tortured poor Natasha until she gave up the dark secret of Valeri's daughter？ And did you kill her when she was no longer of use to you？ Bastard！ She said； 〃Isn't that what you asked me for？〃
〃And what have you found？〃
She was acutely aware of the gun in his pocket。 ''I searched his apartment and came up with nothing。〃
〃Except this；〃 Mars said。 〃What is it？〃
〃Valeri's puter；〃 she said。
〃An illegal puter；〃 Mars said。 〃That would be just like Valeri Denysovich。'' He stared at Irina。 ''Why did you take it？''
KGB。 Keep calm。 Irina fought the numbing terror； fought to make her mind work； to figure out what she must say to him； to appease him yet not to give away…
〃I 'll answer for you；〃 Mars said。 ''You thought the puter might contain White Star's secrets。〃
Her min
