el.angeleyes-第81节
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ances had dictated what she must do； in any case。 Karma。 And； as she launched herself toward Fukuda； she found herself wondering if Russell would at last understand the nature of acceptance。
She saw Fukuda's eyes open wide in shock； saw the tension e into her left hand where it grasped the manual override； saw the lever begin its descent； the squeal of the rail behind her a harbinger of the pain Russell would suffer。
Then Tori was on Fukuda； her left hand； the fingers stiffened like a bar of steel； chopping down in a percussive atemi； breaking Fukuda's hold on the override。 Tori and Fukuda crashed as one onto the tracks。
Tori had several advantages beside surprise： Fukuda would be reluctant to let go of the lever； since it was her primary hold on her。 That meant she was stationary and essentially one…handed。 Fukuda was also afraid of her； which would slow her response time to any sudden attack。 And her aversion to frontal assaults made her hesitate a fraction more before reacting。 Just time enough for Tori； with the help of her artificial hip； to reach her。
Fukuda's wrists were crisscrossed against Tori's throat in the cloudmaker。 Her own pulse beat wildly in Tori's ears； and Tori fought for breath。 She used her knee against Fukuda's thigh； bending it outward； then drawing up her foot； stamping down。
Fukuda grimaced as the tendons connecting her thigh to her pelvis strained； then； as Tori delivered another foot atemi； they snapped。 But she did not release her grip。 Rather； ignoring the attack； she pressed Tori back against the rails； pressing down on her windpipe。
Tori struggled for air。 Her entire right hand was numb； the wrist feeling like it had bloated to three times its size。 Pain was lancing up her arm。
She kicked again； felt and heard the bone pop； dislocating out of its socket in Fukuda's hip。 Fukuda began yo…ibuki； the aggressive hard breathing from deep in her throat in order to block the excruciating pain。
It was then that Tori understood that nothing short of death was going to get Fukuda to release her hold。
Blackness； an acute sense of dislocation； threatened to engulf Tori。 She was insensate on a black wind； beginning to float away； and it was with a supreme effort that she drew her drifting mind back to her predicament。 Hang on！ she manded herself。 Hang on！
And then； against her back； she felt the vibration e into the tracks； and she knew with an acute sense of deja vu that a train was on its way。
Russell had screamed when he felt the increased pressure on his ankle bones。 Oh； Christ； he thought。 He was panting； and the sweat was rolling down his body。 He heaved with renewed effort to free himself。 In fact； he had made some progress when the squealing rail had caught him in its grip。
Out of the corner of his eye he could see his gun； glinting dully in the work lights of the tunnel。 It was ten feet away； but in his position it might as well have been ten miles。
All right； he told himself as calmly as he could。 Forget the fucking gun； how can I help Tori？ He didn't know。 He took out his knife； wedged the blade between the rail and his sock； tried to pry himself free。 The blade bent； and when he felt the tension building in it； he gave up。 There was no point in having it break off。
He could see Tori and Fukuda locked in what looked like a mortal embrace。 He could discern no movement。 It was as if their bodies had turned to stone and they were grappling with the force of their wills and their hara。
Then something made him look past the two antagonists。 Light streaming； at first pale； but brightening rapidly until it was thick as lacquer； pushing back the darkness along the curving outer wall of the tunnel。 The train was ing！
Mother of God； Russell thought。 We are all going to be killed！
Myth and reality were blending。 In Tori's oxygen…starved brain thoughts flashed like lightning in a darkling sky； random energy； losing direction。 For greater and greater periods of time she had no memory of what had taken place。 Surely her body； following the mands of her autonomous nervous system； was keeping on with staying alive； but that task was being more and more laborious。 There seemed to be a better way； a sinking into a quieter time； a pool of silence where the seconds stopped their ceaseless ticking。
Wake up！
Tears of silence enveloping her； and the dark； forting and warm； cradled her。
Darkness is death。 。 。 。
So what？
〃TORI！〃
She awoke to see Fukuda's face； horrific with the effects of her efforts to kill her before the pain of Fukuda's dislocated bone rendered her unconscious。
Drifting away 。 。 。
〃TORI！〃
Awake again； and thinking。 Russell's shouting keeping her from going under。 Something about Fukuda's face。 What？ So hard to think； like walking in quicksand； not worth the effort。
Slipping 。 。 。
〃TORI！〃
Fukuda。 What about her？ That face so close to hers。 Look！ It was full of desperation。 Fukuda was almost as near her end as she was。
Almost or more？
Up to me； Tori thought。 She brought her knee up into the place where the bone was protruding from the inside of Fukuda's thigh； kicked as hard as she could。
Fukuda screamed and； for just an instant； relaxed her hold on Tori's windpipe。 Tori already had her hands in position； inside and beneath Fukuda's cloudmaker； and now she used an aikido immobilization； blocking Fukuda's right arm with her left； then crossing her own right arm over； grabbing Fukuda's wrist。
The problem was immediate： she had no sensation in her right hand； so as quickly as she could； she jammed the heel of her left hand against Fukuda's elbow； rammed it upward until she heard the bone break。
Fukuda's jaws snapped shut and tears of pain squeezed out of her eyes。 She tried to counterattack； slipping through Tori's guard with her good left hand； but Tori blocked her with a series of rapid…fire kites to her rib cage。
Tori sucked in air in deep bursts； put all her weight into a foot atemi against the right side of Fukuda's pelvis。 Fukuda passed out。
Tori； almost spent； lowered her forehead against Fukuda's chest。 Then she was up。 The tunnel was brilliantly lit by the headlight of the train as it roared around the curve。
Tori ran to the manual override； but the automated switching was in progress； and the lever refused to budge。 But she saw that it was no longer partway down。 The switching had reset itself to the position it had been in before Fukuda had threatened Russell with moving it。
She ran to where Russell sat； grimacing in pain。 She was so dizzy now； she could barely stand。 He had managed at last to extricate his foot from the track； and they held on to each other as they limped to the nearest of the worker niches that lined the subway walls at regular intervals so that the maintenance men could get out of the way of trains。
The train shot by them； rattling through the tunnel； its whistle screaming。 When it had passed； they emerged； and Tori headed for the spot where she had left Fukuda。 The track was clear。 She looked around； then shouted as a hand grabbed her leg from the side of the track bed。
She saw Fukuda's twisted pain…filled face； black and white； ribbons of soot streaking her pale skin； devoid of blood。 The face； more like a mask； striped like a giant cat's； opened its mouth； and Tori saw her own death mirrored there； the tiny metallic dart about to be shot out of its mouth tube。
Tori tried to pry Fukuda's fingers from her flesh； but they were like iron bands； pulling her down to the track bed。 Fukuda's mouth raised； her cheeks hollowed to expel her final； deadly breath。
The noise of the explosion； magnified by the confines of the tunnel； made Tori jump。 Fukuda's mouth closed with an audible snap； her body convulsed； and Tori saw the bullet hole flower blood just over her heart。
Tori began to snake； sat right down where she had been standing。
Russell hurried up to her； limping on his good leg。 He pointed the gun at Fukuda's head； as if for a moment he could not quite believe that she was dead。 〃e on！ 〃he shouted。 〃Can't you feel it？ Another train's on its way！〃
Tori did not move。 She was staring at the blank face of Fukuda。 It seemed in that horrific instant that she saw her future； black and bitter； there。 The end of the path she had set out on when she had discovered that in some way she needed to confront death again and again。
〃Tori； goddamnit； get up！ Your vendetta's finally over！〃 Russell knelt down beside her。 He picked her up； carried her back to another worker box； shoved her in； crawled painfully in beside her。 The darkness was electric with sound and vibration。
〃She's dead。〃 Russell's voice was hoarse。 He was shivering with shock and pain。 〃I hope you're satisfied。〃
He was trying to examine her； but the lack of light made it impossible。 〃How badly are you hurt？〃
〃If you hadn't kept calling to me；〃 Tori whispered； 〃I would have been the one left lying on the tracks。〃 She put her head wearily on his shoulder； felt his arm e around her。 She closed her eyes； but that only made her more dizzy。 She felt unutterably sick。
〃Russell； your leg…〃
The tunnel was lit up as if by a display of fireworks； and they were shaken by the train's rumbling passage。 Wh
