el.angeleyes-第56节
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〃I wasn't looking at Sonia；〃 Russell said。 In his mouth was the taste of metal； bitter and nauseating。 ''Take my challenge。''
Cruz glanced around the cabin。 His sicarios were watching him expectantly。 He gave a perfunctory nod； then shrugged。 〃It's your death；〃 he said。
The corrida was eerie。 Silent and empty； it lay sleeping in the heavy sunlight。 There was nothing going on in the bullring except on Sundays； when the Medellin natives crowded its stands to drink in the contrast of life and death when man faced bull。
〃All right； Senor Slade；〃 Cruz said。 He and his men surrounded Tori and Estilo in the lower reaches of the stands。 〃You have challenged and I have answered。〃 Cruz grinned down on Russell； who stood in the bloody dust of the corrida itself。 Waiting。 〃I have instructed that my best bull be set loose。 If you handle him； I will give you what you want。 If； on the other hand； the bull has his way； whether or not I have this package will no longer matter to you。 You'll be dead。''
Tori tried to read what Russell was thinking by the expression on his face； but he was too good for that。 She was thinking； If he dies； it will be on my head。 I will never be able to forgive myself。
〃Russell；〃 she called out； 〃you don't have to do this！〃
Cruz grunted。 〃But of course he does。〃 He nodded to one of his sicarios； who pointed his semiautomatic at Russell。 〃A man does not back out of a challenge。 Oh； but Senor Slade； I forgot for a moment that you're not a man； you're a gringo。 Anything is possible for one such as you。〃
Russell said nothing。 his attention was fixed on the huge iron…bound wooden doors across the dusty floor of the corrida。
Cruz raised his arm； let it drop。
The wooden doors creaked open； and they could see in the semishadows a huge； hulking figure。 It snorted heavily； then pawed the ground。 Russell moved； and the bull came charging across the corrida toward him。
〃Doesn't he even get a killing sword？〃 Tori said to Cruz。
〃No。 The killing sword is for a matador only； not a gringo。 He will have to manage on his own。''
〃But he won't be able to；〃 Tori said。 〃Not with just his bare hands。〃
〃Well； I suppose that's the point。〃 Cruz laughed； then shouted； 〃Ole； gringo！ Ole！〃 as Russell whirled away from the bull's first charge。
Russell felt the burst of sweat breaking out all over his body。 He had seen bullfights before； but he now understood just how enormous these creatures were close up。 They were all muscle； all rage； chaos incarnate。 The smell of the beast was in his nostrils。 He had stared into the bull's red eyes； had seen there a sight that had jolted him： a kind of unthinking evil； elemental and absolute。 In that first instant of recognition； Russell knew that there could be no middle ground here。 Either he would kill the bull or the bull would kill him。 No other possibility existed in those strangely magnetic eyes。
The bull charged again； his hooves thundering； kicking up dust dark with dried blood。 Its head was lowered； and Russell saw its long horns aimed at his stomach。 He could almost feel the agonizing rip of the gore； could sense himself being jerked off his feet by the beast's inhuman strength； the horn tearing through his abdomen as the bull flailed him along the ground or against the corrida's wall。
The thing was； it did no good to move right away； the bull would just follow。 And since it was far faster than a man； it would run him down。 Russell knew he needed to follow the dictates of the matador； and not move for as long as was possible； to whirl away only at the last possible instant； to constantly frustrate the beast。 And yet； he told himself； what good would even this do？ There was no one to cut the beast； to continually wound it； to wear down its prodigious strength； to bring it to the point where； exhausted and bleeding； it lowered its head in the middle of its charge to receive the killing thrust。
Russell waited as the bull came on。 He felt his muscles rippling with tremors over which he had no control。 His teeth were chattering。 The beast's huge head loomed； rushing toward him at appalling speed。
He whirled； but he cut it a bit too fine； and the bull's outflung hoof caught him on the ankle。 He staggered； fell into the dust。 The bull snorted； so close that Russell could feel the damp heat on the back of his neck。 The foam of madness overflowed its lips。 The tip of its horn scored the wall just above him。 The scent of the beast defined his world。
In the stands； Cruz and his sicarios were straining forward； fascinated； sensing that the dance of death was nearing its end。 Even the guards posted high up in the arena were concentrating on the imminent death of the gringo。 No one yelled 〃Ole！〃 now； they were rooting for the bull。
Tori leaned over； whispered in Estilo's ear。 He nodded； as she knew he would。 Estilo was as fearless as he was loyal。 She counted silently to six； saw out of the corner of her eyes Estilo doing the same。 Then she launched herself over the barrier in the stands； down into the corrida。 At the same time； Estilo slipped the handgun from Cruz's holster； pressed the muzzle against me side of his head。 〃Don't move！〃 he shouted to the sicarios。 〃If you want to keep your leader alive； you'll just relax！〃
In the corrida the bull had flung out one hoof。 It was meant for Russell's head； but Russell had had the presence of mind to curl up； and the blow struck him on the shoulder instead。
He grunted； began to scramble away。 That was a mistake。 The bull charged after him； its head already down； its horns darting this way and that。
Tori landed on her feet and； reaching down； slid a knife from its sheath against her ankle。 She leaped atop the bull's back and plunged the knife to the hilt in that spot she had seen the matador find for his killing thrust； between the massive muscles of the beast's shoulders and neck。
She was certain she heard the bull scream。 It shuddered as a fountain of blood shot up； and its convulsions threw her off。 She hit the wall； came down hard。
Then Russell had scooped her up； and the two of them were making for the doorway through which Russell had been shoved onto the floor of the corrida。
As they reached the door they heard the unmistakable sound of semiautomatic fire。 Fearing for Estilo； Tori turned around and had a brief glimpse of the guards stationed high up in the stands； then Russell had pulled her through； from the intense sunlight of the corrida to the darkness beneath the stands。 〃Someone's shot Cruz's guards；〃 she shouted at Russell。 They raced around the semicircle； came up into brilliant sunlight； headed up the tiers of empty seats； but the gunfire had ceased。 None of Cruz's people were left standing。 Instead； Estilo and Cruz were surrounded by another set of men。 The Orolas？
〃It's all right；〃 Estilo said as the men trained their weapons toward the oning figures； 〃they're friends。〃
〃Are you all right？〃 Tori asked Estilo。
He smiled； jerking on Cruz's collar。 〃As you can see； torero。 '' He was referring to her bravery in the bullring。
〃What the hell is going on here？〃 Russell demanded。
Estilo said to one of his men； 〃Search them carefully； especially the woman。 She is capable of many tricks。〃 Then he turned his attention to Russell。 〃I took the liberty of ensuring the oute of our little adventure。 I radioed my people from the plane on our way back here。''
〃Your people？〃 Russell said。 〃Who the hell are you； anyway？〃
〃I am Tori's friend；〃 Estilo said。 〃That's all you need to know。〃
Tori came up to him。 〃Once； that was all I needed to know； Estilo。 But now everything's changed。〃
〃Are you certain； schatzie？ Nothing has changed； not really； not for the two of us。〃
Tori saw the love in his eyes； but beneath that she could discern something foreign； and her stomach tightened in a kind of precognitive warning。 Because it was the hint of fear she saw in Estilo； an emotion she had thought him incapable of feeling。 She could already feel him slipping away from her； and she knew that neither of them would ever be the same。
Estilo nodded。 〃So be it。 Finding the cocaine factory in the llano negro came as no surprise to me。 Why would it？ I own it。〃
〃You？〃 The word came out and almost choked her。 She could hardly think straight。
Estilo smiled。 〃Didn't you think it a bit too convenient； this Twin Otter refueling just as we had need of it？〃 He laughed heartily。 〃Just like in a James Bond movie。〃
〃I don't believe it。〃
〃But I do；〃 Russell said。 〃The whole escape from the factory was so easy。 I should have seen it。〃
Estilo ignored him。 〃Friendship does that to people； schatzie。 I think in your heart of hearts you are not so surprised。 You knew that some of my business was not altogether legitimate。〃
〃But cocaine…〃
〃Only a sideline for me； schatzie；〃 Estilo said。 〃The soft cell； remember？ I never would have told you； but this pig； Cruz； stuck his nose in where it didn't belong。 He took the hafnium pellets。 I could not allow you to be killed over them。〃
〃The hafnium es from you；〃 Russell said。
Estilo nodded。 〃Very astute； Senor Slade。 The metal pellets are what I'm really exporting。 The Japanese buy the hafnium from one of my concerns in West Germany。 I tra
