el.angeleyes-第66节
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Another day； another visit to the man who would be God； Mars Volkov thought as he drove up to the Hero's fortresslike plex within Star Town。
He did not immediately get out of the Chaika limousine； however； but instead listened again to the tape recording he had made of his last conversation with the Hero。
〃I don't know what's e over me。 Before I lifted off； I never had much of a sense of humor。 Who knows； perhaps being suspended between heaven and a living hell will do that for you。 〃
It had been a rather nice touch。 Mars thought； to make such a theatrical display of disabling the monitoring equipment in the Hero's living quarters。 Of course； it was quite real。 Mars had actually shut down the system。 And he had been correct not to inform the dolts downstairs。 Their display of genuine pique had put the icing on the cake。 No amount of acting； no matter how expert； would fool the Hero or his idiot manque； Arbat。 （Mars had to admit that the bloody dolphin had been his one major mistake； but now that it was done； he could hardly take it away。）
〃There are some who think you 're lying； or have misremembered； or are delusional。 〃
''Are you one of those ？''
All in all； Mars thought； the last interrogation had gone well。 Mars was far too clever to try to fool the Hero at this late stage。 It would； he knew； be another mistake to underestimate the Hero now； even though he； Mars； had finally gamed the high ground in their battle of wits。 Mars's own sentiments about being fed up with playing their no…win game had been real； as well。 But he was not as much the maverick as he had led the Hero to believe…it was far more convincing to tell a semblance of the truth than to try to put over a lie。 Consequently； Mars had e prepared to his last meeting。 He had been wearing a body mike attached to a portable microcassette recorder。 The same was true today。
〃The corpse opened its mouth and…〃
〃No； no。 This isn't something out of a science…fiction or a horror film。〃 He didn't e back from the dead； nor was he animated like a zombie or a golem。 This was something else 。 。 。〃
Mars reached over； shut off the tape。 What had happened up there between the stars？ He was being consumed with this puzzle。
He sat for a moment longer； lost in thought。 Then he got out of the Chaika； went through the laborious but necessary security procedures to allow him entrance to the Hero's plex。
Inside； the Hero was with Tatiana。 She was a short blond woman； with a ruddy plexion and wide…set； direct gray eyes。 She had the wide shoulders； narrow waist and hips of the athlete。 She was as attractive as Lara； though in an entirely different way。
''Good morning； rade；'' Tatiana said when she saw Mars enter the pool area。 Her swimsuit was quite shockingly brief； cut very high around the tops of the legs in the Western manner； and Mars made a mental note to order different； more modest suits for his guard girls。
He nodded to her； said； 〃Where is Odysseus？〃
Arbat surfaced； sped across the diameter of the pool； spewed water all over Mars。 Tatiana put her hand over her mouth； tamed her face away； but not before Mars caught a glimpse of her laughing。
〃He's in the shower；〃 she said when she had recovered。 She brought him a towel。 Mars glowered； making quite sure her face was solemn。
〃What the hell does he need to shower for？〃 Mars said tightly。 〃He's in the goddamned pool all the time； anyway。〃
〃He never goes in the pool without showering first；〃 Tatiana said。
A buzzer sounded； and she went across the room。 She opened a translucent glass door； and Mars could hear the shower cut off。 Then she reappeared； carrying the Hero in her arms。
Odysseus said nothing until Tatiana had deposited him into the pool。 He slid from her arms as if he were a slippery eel。 His sleek； hairless body； so pale and unearthly in color； was sheened as if with oil as well as water。 Arbat immediately began a series of clicks； to which the Него responded briefly。
He turned to Mars。 〃You're early。〃
〃Good morning to you； too；〃 Mars said sourly。
The Hero bobbed in the water； eyed him。 〃Did you fall into a puddle？ I don't believe it's raining。''
〃The dolphin…〃 Out of the corner of his eye； Mars saw Tatiana stifle a laugh。 〃It was your bloody dolphin's idea of a joke。〃
〃Oh； not a joke；〃 Odysseus said when Arbat's clicks had ceased。 〃It was her way of saying 'Hello； rade！' 〃
〃Don't be idiotic。 You're trying my patience。〃
〃And you；〃 Odysseus said； 〃have been trying mine。〃 He smiled。 〃That makes us even； though not in any way you'd understand。 But maybe you still feel at a disadvantage。 You're wondering； I'm willing to bet； what it is that Odysseus sees in being in the pool all day。 Am I right？〃 Before Mars had a chance to answer； the Hero had pressed on。 〃So here's your big opportunity； rade Volkov。 Take off your clothes and join us。 See firsthand what it's all about。〃
When Mars hesitated； the Hero said； 〃Still undecided？ Let's give you a hand in making up your mind。 Arbat？〃 The dolphin leaped up and at the top of her arc； spat a long stream of water into Mars's face。 When she landed； she did so broadside； sending a wave over the side of the pool； inundating Mars。
〃Guess you don't have much of a choice now； rade；〃 Odysseus said； clearly delighted。
。Mars； in an inner rage； resolved to do nothing outwardly to show the Hero he had won this round。 But simple human dignity dictated that he say； ''I have no bathing attire。''
〃That's a quaint thought；〃 the Hero said。 〃I don't need 'bathing attire；' why should you？〃
Mars could think of no appropriate answer； so instead he stalked across the room to the shower area and disrobed。 He wrapped a towel around his middle； reemerged。
〃Wele； Volkov；〃 Odysseus said； 〃to the isle of Polyphemus； the Cyclops。〃
Grim…faced； Mars approached the pool and； deliberately ignoring Tatiana； who was already bobbing alongside the Hero； dropped the towel and slid into the water。
Arbat made quite a fuss； clicking and diving。 For a moment Mars was uneasy。 It suddenly dawned on him that he was in the creature's domain。 What would the dolphin choose to do to him？ Nothing； it seemed； but click and dive。 Arbat never approached him。
〃It's easier here in the water；〃 the Hero said in the silence after the dolphin's last outburst。
''What is？〃 Mars found himself asking。
''Life；'' Odysseus said； staring up at the arched ceiling； alight with reflections from the water。 ''I thought that would be self…evident once you were in here。〃 His gaze lowered。 His eyes； Mars saw； were the color of gun metal today； and seemingly just as hard。 〃But perhaps I have overestimated you。〃
〃I hope not； 〃 Mars said。
〃We'll see。〃
Mars said； 〃I'd like to return to something you spoke about last time。 The unspeakable color you saw in 。。。 Menelaus's eyes after he died。〃 Mars had almost forgotten the name the Hero wanted him to use。 Menelaus； another of the Greek chieftains who took part in the sack of Troy； and； so Homer would have us believe； Odysseus's alter ego。 〃The color of God； so you said。 I'm interested to learn why you used just that term。 Surely there are others that would do as well。''
〃Are there？〃 Odysseus said。 〃If so； it's clear you wouldn't know them。 You're in the dark here； all of you。 I'm the only lamp to guide you。〃
〃That's true；〃 Mars conceded。 〃But God？〃
〃We're back to Him； I'm afraid；〃 Odysseus said。 〃And you said you no longer wanted to talk about God。〃
〃I've changed my mind。〃
〃Really？ Well； that's mighty adaptable of you。 I'm impressed。〃 The Hero closed his eyes for a moment。 〃All right： God。 Do you know that dolphins believe in God？ Arbat has quite a cogent concept of Him； much more sensible than the clumsy versions humans have been able to e up with。'' There it was again； not 〃we〃 but 〃humans；〃 as if he was no longer human。
〃I chose that phrase 'the color of God' because it was the only one that is appropriate；〃 the Hero said。 〃We return to Albat； to dolphins in general。 Their minds don't work like humans' ； Volkov。 Arbat's mind works in a kind of wave pattern and； beyond that； spirals。 Linear thinking is unknown to her。 Interesting； no？〃 his eyes popped open。 〃So。 God to her is Time。 Not day and night； dolphins don't conceive of such categorized sections。 Time as in movement…the movement that has extended before life； that extends through life； and will extend after life has been terminated。〃
Mars tried to absorb this circumlocution。 〃And what has this to do with the color in Menelaus's dead eyes？〃
〃They weren't dead；〃 Odysseus said。 〃Oh； yes； Menelaus himself was an empty husk； embalmed by the winds of space。 But his eyes had bee a conduit。〃
〃What precisely did you see in them？〃
〃That；〃 the Hero said； 〃is the fundamental mistake you've all made。 I didn't see something in them； I saw through them。 It was as if they had bee a telescope of fantastic power。 I saw Elsewhere。 I saw Elsewhen。〃
Mars closed his eyes； pressed his fingers against the lids。 He was getting a headache。 The essential problem was that he couldn't tell whether this discussion was too profound or too laughable for him。 Was he confronting a madman or。。。 what？ What had happened to the two men of Odin…Gala
