cc.vixen03-第39节

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n　antique　kerosene　lamp；　shattering　its　glass　shade。
　Lee　Raferty　growled　like　an　animal　and　swung　the　pipe。　It　caught　Pitt　on　the　shoulder　and　grazed　his　skull。　Pitt　grunted　in　pain　and　swung　around；　fighting　off　blackness　and　trying　desperately　to　clear　his　fogging　vision。　He　aimed　the　Colt　at　the　blurred　figure　he　knew　to　be　Lee。
　Maxine　brought　her　rifle　barrel　down　on　the　Colt；　pounding　it　from　Pitt's　fingers　into　the　fireplace。
　Maxine　hastily　labored　to　recock　the　mangled　gun　as　Lee　advanced；　swinging　the　plumbing　pipe。　Pitt　raised　his　left　arm　to　fend　off　the　blow　and　was　surprised　not　to　hear　the　bone　snap。　He　lashed　out　with　his　feet　and　caught　Lee　on　the　knees；　spilling　the　scarecrow…bodied　man　on　top　of　him。
　〃Shoot；　dammit！〃　Lee　yelled　to　his　wife。　〃Shoot！〃
　〃I　can't！〃　she　shrieked　back。　〃You're　in　my　line　of　fire。〃
　Lee　dropped　the　pipe　and　violently　fought　to　disentangle　himself；　but　Pitt　locked　him　around　the　neck　with　the　good　right　arm　and　hung　on。　Maxine　danced　around　the　room；　excitedly　pointing　the　Winchester；　frantically　trying　for　a　safe　shot。　Pitt　held　on　and　kept　Lee　turned　in　front　as　a　shield　while　struggling　to　regain　his　feet。　Then　Lee　abruptly　twisted；　kneed　Pitt　in　the　groin；　and　broke　free。
　Through　the　burning　haze　of　agony　Pitt　managed　to　grab　the　kerosene　lamp　and　hurl　it　at　Maxine；　catching　her　across　the　chest。　She　screamed　as　the　glass　splintered　into　fragments；　slicing　her　dress　and　penetrating　one　immense　sagging　breast。　Then　Pitt　thrust　his　weight　upward　and　charged；　hitting　her　harder　than　he　had　ever　hit　anyone　in　his　life。　For　a　woman　of　advanced　age；　Maxine　was　hard；　but　she　was　no　match　against　Pitt's　brutal　onslaught。　She　soared　backward　with　such　force　that　she　flew　through　the　front　door　of　the　house　and　vanished。
　〃You　bastard！〃　Lee　screamed。　He　threw　himself　into　the　fireplace；　snatched　the　Colt　from　among　the　ashes；　and　swung　to　face　Pitt。
　A　window　suddenly　disintegrated　and　Abe　Steiger　tumbled　into　the　kitchen；　collapsing　the　table　beneath　him。　Lee　spun；　giving　Pitt　the　instant　he　needed　to　snatch　the　pipe　on　the　floor。　A　dazed　Steiger　never　forgot　the　sickening　sound　of　the　pipe's　crushing　the　bone　of　Lee　Raferty's　temple。
　Giordino　sat　on　the　ground；　his　eyes　staring　numbly　at　his　punctured　leg。　He　looked　up　at　Maxine；　not　fully　grasping　what　had　happened。　Then　his　mouth　went　slack　and　he　watched　helplessly　as　she　deliberately　ejected　the　spent　shell　and　recocked　the　rifle。　Maxine　took　careful　aim　at　his　chest　and　curled　her　finger　around　the　trigger。
　The　blast　was　deafening　and　the　slug　tore　the　breastbone　away；　catapulting　gore　and　marrow　in　a　grisly　pile　at　Giordino's　outstretched　feet。　Maxine　stood　inert　for　almost　three　seconds　before　she　folded　limply　to　the　yard　in　a　fat；　grotesque　heap；　her　blood　spilling　out　between　her　breasts　and　staining　the　grass。
　Pitt　leaned　against　a　porch　railing；　his　hand　wielding　the　Colt；　barrel　poised　in　the　recoil　position。　He　lowered　the　gun　and　walked　stiffly　toward　Giordino。　Steiger　came　out　to　look；　paled；　and　threw　up　into　a　flowerbed。
　Giordino's　eyes　were　locked　on　a　gleaming　white　bit　of　cartilage　as　Pitt　knelt　beside　him。　〃You　。　。　。　you　blew　that　sweet　little　old　lady's　chest　off？〃　Giordino　asked。
　〃Yes；〃　Pitt　replied；　feeling　none　too　proud　of　himself。
　〃Thank　God；〃　Giordino　murmured；　pointing。　〃I　thought　that　thing　on　the　ground　belonged　to　me。〃
　
　44
　
　〃You　fool！〃　Thomas　Machita　shouted　across　the　desk。　〃You　bloody　fool！〃
　Colonel　Randolph　Jumana　sat　and　regarded　Machita's　outburst　with　controlled　indulgence。　〃I　had　the　very　best　of　reasons　for　issuing　those　orders。〃
　〃Who　gave　you　the　authority　to　attack　that　village　and　slaughter　fellow　blacks？〃
　〃You　overlook　basic　facts；　Major。〃　Jumana　removed　a　pair　of　horn…rimmed　reading　glasses　and　stroked　one　side　of　his　flattened　nose。　〃During　General　Lusana's　absence　I　am　in　mand　of　the　AAR。　I　am　simply　carrying　out　his　directives。〃
　〃By　switching　attacks　from　military　targets　to　civilian　villages？〃　Machita　snapped　angrily。　〃By　terrorizing　our　brothers　and　sisters　whose　only　crime　is　working　as　underpaid　civil　servants　for　the　South　Afri…cans？〃
　〃The　strategy；　Major；　is　to　drive　a　wedge　between　the　whites　and　the　blacks。　Any　of　our　people　who　hire　out　to　the　government　must　be　labeled　as　traitors。〃
　〃Black　members　of　the　Defence　Forces；　yes；〃　Machita　argued。　〃But　you　can't　gain　support　by　indiscriminately　murdering　schoolteachers；　mailmen；　and　road　laborers。〃
　Jumana's　face　went　cold　and　impersonal。　〃If　killing　a　hundred　children　would　advance　our　ultimate　victory　over　the　whites　by　one　hour；　I　would　not　hesitate　to　give　the　order　for　execution。〃
　Machita　was　swept　by　a　wave　of　abhorrence。　〃You're　talking　butch…ery！〃
　〃There　is　an　old　Western　World　saying；〃　Jumana　said　flatly。　〃　'The　end　justifies　the　means。'　〃
　Machita　stared　at　the　obese　colonel　and　his　flesh　crawled。　〃When　General　Lusana　hears　of　this；　he　will　expel　you　from　the　AAR。〃
　Jumana　smiled。　〃Too　late。　My　campaign　to　spread　fear　and　havoc　throughout　South　Africa　is　irreversible。〃　Jumana　managed　to　look　even　more　sinister。　〃General　Lusana　is　an　outsider。　He　will　never　be　fully　accepted　by　the　tribes　of　the　interior；　nor　by　the　black　leaders　of　the　cities；　as　one　of　their　own。　I　guarantee　he　will　never　sit　in　the　Prime　Minister's　office　in　Cape　Town。〃
　〃You're　talking　treason。〃
　〃On　the　other　hand；〃　Jumana　continued；　〃you　were　born　in　Liberia　before　your　parents　immigrated　to　the　United　States。　Your　skin　is　as　black　as　mine。　Your　blood　has　not　been　fouled　by　mixed　sexual　inter…course　with　whites；　as　have　most　American　blacks'。　It　might　not　be　a　bad　idea；　Machita；　for　you　to　consider　a　change　of　allegiance。〃
　Machita　replied　coldly。　〃You　swore　the　same　oath　as　I　when　we　enlisted　in　the　AAR；　to　uphold　the　principles　set　down　by　Hiram　Lusana。　What　you're　proposing　sickens　me。　I　want　no　part　of　it。　Rest　assured；　Colonel；　your　treachery　will　be　exposed　to　General　Lusana　within　the　hour。〃
　Without　another　word；　Machita　turned　and　stormed　from　Jumana's　office；　slamming　the　door　with　a　loud　crack。
　Seconds　later；　Jumana's　aide　knocked　and　entered。　〃The　major　seems　upset。〃
　〃A　small　difference　of　opinion；〃　said　Jumana　without　emotion。　〃A　shame　his　motives　are　misdirected。〃　He　motioned　outside。　〃Quickly；　take　two　of　my　bodyguards　and　go　to　the　munications　wing。　You　should　find　Major　Machita　about　to　transmit　a　message　to　the　general；　in　Washington。　Stop　the　transmission　and　arrest　him。〃
　〃Arrest　the　major？〃　The　aide　was　astonished。　〃On　what　charge？〃
　Jumana　thought　a　moment。　〃Passing　secrets　to　the　enemy。　That　should　be　sufficient　to　lock　him　in　a　basement　cell　until　he　can　be　tried　and　shot。〃
　Hiram　Lusana　stood　in　the　entrance　to　the　House　of　Representatives　library　and　searched　until　he　spied　Frederick　Daggat。　The　congressman　was　sitting　at　a　long　mahogany　table；　taking　notes　from　a　large　leather…bound　book。
　〃I　hope　I'm　not　interrupting；〃　said　Lusana。　〃But　your　message　sounded　urgent　and　your　secretary　said　I　might　find　you　here。〃
　〃Sit　down；〃　Daggat　said　with　no　sign　of　friendliness。　；
　Lusana　pulled　up　a　chair　and　waited。
　〃Have　you　read　the　late…edition　morning　paper？〃　asked　Daggat；　again　looking　at　the　book。
　〃No；　I've　been　lobbying　with　Senator　Moore；　of　Ohio。　He　seemed　most　receptive　to　our　cause　after　I　explained　the　aims　of　the　AAR。〃
　〃Apparently　the　senator　missed　the　news；　too。〃
　〃What　are　you　talking　about？〃
　Daggat　reached　into　his　breast　pocket　and　handed　a　folded　news　clipping　to　Lusana。　〃Here；　my　friend。　Read　it　and　weep。〃
　INSURGENTS　MASSACRE　165　VILLAGERS　IN　RAID
　tazareen；　South　Africa　（UPI）…At　least　165　black　inhabitants　of　the　village　of　Tazareen　in　the　province　of　Transvaal　were　killed　in　a　seemingly　senseless　slaughter　by　African　Army　of　Revolution　in…surgents　in　a　dawn　raid；　South　African　Defense　officials　report。
　An　army　officer　at　the　scene　said　the　raid　was　carried　out　by　an　estimated　200　AAR　guerrillas　who　swept　into　the　village；　shooting　anything　moving　and　chopping　and　hacking　with　bush　knives。
　〃Forty…six　women　and　children　were　murdered；　some　children　still　in　their　beds　clutching　dolls；〃　one　stunned　investigator　said　as　he　pointed　to　the　burned　remains　of　the　once　prosperous　village。　〃Militarily；　it　was　a　terrible　waste；　an　act　of　pure　animalistic　savage…ry。〃
　One　girl　about　four　years　of　age　was　found　with　her　throat　slit。　Pregnant　women　were　found　with　large　bruises　on　their　abdomens；　indicating　they　had　been　stomped　to　death。
　Defense　Ministry　officials　were　hard　pressed　to　speculate　on　what　provoked　the　attack。　All　the　victims　were　civilians。　The　nearest　military　installation　is　12　miles　away。
　Until　now；　the　African　Army　of　Revolution；　led　by　American　expatriate　Hiram　Jones；　who　now　calls　himself　Hiram　Lusana；　has　fought　a　strict　military　war；　attacking　only　South　African　defense　forces　and　facilities。
　Barbaric　assaults　by　other　insurgent　groups　have　been　…monplace　along　South　Africa's　northern　borders。　Defense　leaders　find　this　new　pattern　most　puzzling。
　The　only　previous　type　of　massacre　involving　the　AAR　occurred　during　the　Fawkes　farm　raid　in　Umkono；　Natal；　in　which　32　were　killed。