dk.nightchills-第9章

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　Salsbury　stared　at　the　girls。　They　had　the　longest；　loveliest　legs　he　had　ever　seen。　He　cleared　his　throat　and　said；　〃I'll　bet　you're　in　show　business。〃
　Neither　of　them　looked　at　him。　The　blonde　squeezed　lotion　into　her　left　hand　and　massaged　the　swelling　tops　of　the　brunette's　large　breasts。　Her　fingers　trailed　under　the　bikini　bra；　flicked　across　the　hidden　nipples。
　Salsbury　felt　like　a　fool…as　he　always　had　around　beautiful　women。　He　was　certain　that　they　were　making　fun　of　him。　You　stinking　bitches！　he　thought　viciously。　Some　day　I'll　have　any　of　you　I　want。　Some　day　I'll　tell　you　what　I　want；　and　you'll　do　it；　and　you'll　love　it　because　I'll　tell　you　to　love　it。
　Klinger　returned；　carrying　one　large　suitcase。　He　had　put　on　a　two…hundred…dollar；　blue…and…gray…plaid　sport　coat。
　Looks　like　a　gorilla　dressed　up　for　a　circus　act；　Salsbury　thought。
　In　the　passengers'　partment　of　the　helicopter；　as　they　lifted　away　from　the　roof；　Klinger　pressed　his　face　to　the　window　and　watched　the　girls　dwindle　into　sexless　specks。　Then　he　sighed　and　sat　back　and　said；　〃Your　boss　knows　how　to　arrange　a　man's　vacation。〃
　Salsbury　blinked　in　confusion。　〃My　boss？〃
　Glancing　at　him；　Klinger　said；　〃Dawson。〃　He　took　a　packet　of　cheroots　from　an　inside　coat　pocket。　He　fished　one　out　and　lit　it　for　himself　without　offering　one　to　Salsbury。　〃What　did　you　think　of　Crystal　and　Daisy？〃
　Salsbury　took　off　his　sunglasses。　〃What？〃
　〃Crystal　and　Daisy。　The　girls　at　the　pool。〃
　〃Nice。　Very　nice。〃
　Pausing　for　a　long　drag　of　his　cheroot；　Klinger　blew　out　smoke　and　said；　〃You　wouldn't　believe　what　those　girls　can　do。〃
　〃I　thought　they　were　dancers；〃　Salsbury　said。
　Klinger　looked　at　him　disbelievingly；　and　then　threw　back　his　head　and　laughed。　〃Oh；　they　are！　They　dance　their　little　asses　off　every　night　in　the　Fortunata's　main　showroom。　But　they've　also　been　performing　in　the　penthouse　suite。　And　let　me　tell　you；　dancing　is　the　least　of　their　talents。〃
　Salsbury　was　perspiring　even　though　the　cabin　of　the　Jet…Ranger　was　cool。　Women　。　。　。　He　feared　them…and　wanted　them　desperately。　To　Dawson；　mind　control　meant　unlimited　wealth；　a　financial　stranglehold　on　the　entire　world。　To　Klinger　it　might　mean　unrestricted　power；　the　satisfaction　of　unquestioned　mand。　But　to　Salsbury；　it　meant　having　sex　as　often　as　he　wanted　it；　in　as　many　ways　as　he　wanted　it；　with　any　woman　he　desired。
　Blowing　smoke　at　the　cabin　ceiling；　Klinger　said；　〃I'll　bet　you'd　like　having　those　two　in　your　bed；　shoving　it　in　them；　one　after　the　other。　Would　you　like　that？〃
　〃Who　wouldn't？〃
　〃They're　hard　on　a　man；〃　Klinger　said；　chuckling。　〃Takes　a　man　with　real　stamina　to　keep　them　happy。　You　think　you　could　handle　both　Crystal　and　Daisy？〃
　〃I　could　give　it　a　good　try。〃
　Klinger　laughed　loudly。
　Salsbury　hated　him　for　that。
　This　crude　bastard　was　nothing　more　than　an　influence　peddler；　Ogden　thought。　He　could　be　bought…and　his　price　was　cheap。　In　one　way　or　another；　he　helped　Futurex　International
　in　its　petitive　bidding　for　Pentagon　contracts。　In　return；　he　took　free　vacations　in　Las　Vegas；　and　some　sort　of　stipend　was　paid　into　a　Swiss　bank　account。　There　was　only　one　element　of　this　arrangement　that　Salsbury　was　unable　to　reconcile　with　Leonard　Dawson's　personal　philosophy。　He　said　to　Klinger：
　〃Does　Leonard　pay　for　the　girls　too？〃
　〃Well；　I　don't。　I've　never　had　to　pay　for　it。〃　He　stared　hard　at　Salsbury；　until　he　was　convinced　that　the　scientist　believed　him。　〃The　hotel　picks　up　the　tab。　That's　one　of　Futurex's　subsidiaries。　But　both　Leonard　and　I　pretend　he　doesn't　know　about　the　girls。　Whenever　he　asks　me　how　I　enjoyed　a　vacation；　he　acts　as　if　all　I've　done　is　sit　around　the　pool；　by　myself；　reading　the　latest　books。〃　He　was　amused。　He　sucked　on　his　cheroot。　〃Leonard　is　a　Puritan；　but　he　knows　better　than　to　let　his　personal　feelings　interfere　with　business。〃　He　shook　his　head。　〃Your　boss　is　some　man。〃
　〃He's　not　my　boss；〃　Salsbury　said。
　Klinger　didn't　seem　to　have　heard　him。
　〃Leonard　and　I　are　partners；〃　Salsbury　said。　Klinger　looked　him　up　and　down。　〃Partners。〃　〃That's　right。〃
　Their　eyes　met。
　Reluctantly；　after　a　few　seconds；　Salsbury　looked　away。
　〃Partners；〃　Klinger　said。　He　didn't　believe　it。
　We　are　partners；　Salsbury　thought。　Dawson　may　own　this　helicopter；　the　Fortunata　Hotel；　Crystal；　Daisy；　and　you。　But　he　doesn't　own　me；　and　he　never　will。　Never。
　At　the　Las　Vegas　airport；　the　helicopter　put　down　thirty　yards　from　a　dazzling；　white　Grumman　Gulf　Stream　jet。　Red　letters　on　the　fuselage　spelled　FUTUREX　INTERNATIONAL。
　Fifteen　minutes　later　they　were　airborne；　on　their　way　to　an　exclusive　landing　strip　near　Lake　Tahoe。
　Klinger　unbuckled　his　seat　belt　and　said；　〃I　understand　you're　to　give　me　a　briefing。〃
　〃That's　right。　We've　got　two　hours　for　it。〃　He　put　his　briefcase　on　his　lap。　〃Have　you　ever　heard　of　subliminal…〃
　〃Before　we　get　going；　I'd　like　a　Scotch　on　the　rocks。〃
　〃I　believe　there's　a　bar　aboard。〃　〃Fine。　Just　fine。〃
　〃It's　back　there。〃　Salsbury　gestured　over　his　shoulder。
　Klinger　said；　〃Make　mine　four　ounces　of　Scotch　and　four　ice　cubes　in　an　eight…ounce　glass。〃
　At　first　Salsbury　gazed　at　him　unprehendingly。　Then　he　got　it：　generals　didn't　mix　their　own　drinks。　Don't　let　him　intimidate　you；　he　thought。　Against　his　will；　however；　he　found　himself　getting　up　and　moving　toward　the　back　of　the　plane。　It　was　as　if　he　were　not　in　control　of　his　body。　When　he　returned　with　the　drink；　Klinger　didn't　even　thank　him。
　〃You　say　you're　one　of　Leonard's　partners？〃
　Salsbury　realized　that；　by　acting　more　like　a　waiter　than　like　a　host；　he　had　only　reinforced　the　general's　conviction　that　the　word　〃partner〃　did　not　fit　him。　The　bastard　had　been　testing　him。
　He　began　to　wonder　if　Dawson　and　Klinger　were　too　much　for　him。　Was　he　a　bantam　in　a　ring　with　heavyweights？　He　might　be　setting　himself　up　for　a　knockout　punch。
　He　quickly　dismissed　that　thought。　Without　Dawson　and　the　general；　he　could　not　keep　his　discoveries　from　the　government；　which　had　financed　them　and　owned　them　and　would　be　jealous　of　them　if　it　knew　that　they　existed。　He　had　no　choice　but　to　associate　with　these　people；　and　he　knew　he　would　have　to　be　cautious；　suspicious；　and　watchful。　But　a　man　could　safely　make　his　bed　with　the　devil　so　long　as　he　slept　with　a　loaded　gun　under　his　pillow。
　Couldn't　he？
　Pine　House；　the　twenty…five…room　Dawson　mansion　that　overlooked　Lake　Tahoe；　Nevada；　had　won　two　design　awards　for　its　architect　and　been　featured　in　House　Beautiful。　It　stood　at　the　water's　edge　on　a　five…acre　estate；　with　a　backdrop　of　more　than　one　hundred　towering　pine　trees；　and　it　seemed　to　rise　naturally　from　the　landscape　rather　than　intrude　upon　it；　even　though　its　lines　were　quite　modern。　The　first　level　was　large；　circular；　of　stone　and　without　windows。　The　second　story…a
　circle　the　same　size　as　but　not　concentric　to　the　first　level…　was　a　step　up　from　the　ground　floor。　Lakeside；　at　the　back　of　the　house；　the　second　story　overhung　the　first；　sheltering　a　small　boat　dock；　and　here　there　was　a　twelve…foot…long　window　that　provided　a　magnificent　view　of　the　water　and　the　distant　pine…covered　slopes。　The　dome…shaped；　black　slate　roof　was　crowned　with　a　slender；　needlelike　eight…foot　spire。
　When　he　first　saw　the　place；　Salsbury　thought　that　it　was　a　cousin　to　those　futuristic　churches　that　had　been　rising　in　wealthy　and　progressive　parishes　over　the　last　ten　or　fifteen　years。　Without　a　thought　for　tact；　he　had　said　as　much…and　Leonard　had　taken　the　ment　as　a　pliment。　Having　been　refamiliarized　with　his　host's　eccentricities　during　their　weekly　meetings　over　the　past　three　months；　Ogden　was　fairly　certain　that　the　house　was　supposed　to　resemble　a　church；　that　Dawson　meant　for　it　to　be　a　temple；　a　holy　monument　to　wealth　and　power。
　Pine　House　had　cost　nearly　as　much　as　a　church：　one　and　a　half　million　dollars；　including　the　price　of　the　land。　Nevertheless；　it　was　only　one　of　five　houses　and　three　large　apartments　that　Dawson　and　his　wife　maintained　in　the　United　States；　Jamaica；　England；　and　Europe。
　After　dinner　the　three　men　reclined　in　easy　chairs　in　the　living　room；　a　few　feet　from　the　picture　window。　Tahoe；　one　of　the　highest　and　deepest　lakes　in　the　world；　shimmered　with　light　and　shadow　as　the　last　rays　of　the　sun；　already　gone　behind　the　mountains；　drained　from　the　sky。　In　the　morning　the　water　had　a　clear；　greenish　cast。　By　afternoon　it　was　a　pure；　crystalline　blue。　Now；　soon　to　be　as　black　as　a　vast　spill　of　oil；　it　was　like　purple　velvet　folded　softly　against　the　shoreline。　For　five　or　ten　minutes　they　enjoyed　the　view；　speaking　only　to　remark　on　the　meal　they　had　just　finished　and　on　the　brandy　they　were　sipping。
　At　last　Dawson　turned　to　the　general　and　said；　〃Ernst；　what　do　you　think　of　subliminal　advertising？〃
　The　general　had　anticipated　this　abrupt　shift　from　relaxation　to　business。　〃Fascinating　stuff。〃
　〃You　have　no　doubts？〃
　〃That　it　exists？　None　whatsoever。　Your　man　here　has　the
　proof。　But　he　didn't　explain　what　subliminal　advertising　has　to　do　with　me。〃
　Sipping　brandy；　savoring　it；　Dawson　nodded　toward　Salsbury。　Putting　down　his　own　drink；　angry　with　Klinger　for　referring　to　him　as　Dawson's　man　and　angry　with　Dawson　for　not　correcting　the　general；　reminding　himself　not　to　address　Klinger　by　his　military　title；　Ogden　said；　〃Ernst；　we　never　met　until　this　morning。　I've　never　told　you　where　I　work…but　I'm　sure　you　know。〃
　〃The　Brockert　Institute；〃　Klinger　said　without　hesitation。
　General　Ernst　Klinger　supervised　a　division　of　the　Pentagon's　vitally　important　Department　of　Security　for　Weapons　Research。　His　authority　within　the　department　extended　to　the　states　of　Ohio；　West　Virginia；　Virginia；　Maryland；　Delaware；　Pennsylvania；　New　Jersey；　New　York；　Connecticut；　Massachusetts；　Rhode　Island；　Vermont；　New　Hampshire；　and　Maine。　It　was　his　responsibility　to　choose；　oversee　the　installation　of；　and　regularly　inspect　the　traditional　and　electronic　systems　that　protected　all　laboratories；　factories；　and　test　sites　where　weapons　research　was　conducted　within　those　fourteen　states。　Several　laboratories　belonging　to　Creative　Development　Associates；　including　the　Brockert　facility　in　Connecticut；　came　under　his　jurisdiction；　and　Salsbury　would　have　been　surprised　if　the　general　had　not　known　the　name　of　the　scientist　in　charge　of　the　work　at　Brockert。
　〃Do　you　know　what　sort　of　research　we're　conducting　up　there？〃　Salsbury　asked。
　〃I'm　responsible　for　the　security；　not　the　research；〃　Klinger　said。　〃I　only　know　what　I　need　to　know。　Like　the　backgrounds　of　the　people　who　work　there；　the　layout　of　the　buildings；　and　the　nature　of　the　surrounding　countryside。　I　don't　need　to　know　about　your　work。〃
　〃It　has　to　do　with　subliminals。〃
　Stiffening　as　if　he　had　sensed　stealthy　movement　behind　him；　Some　of　the　brandy…inspired　color　seeping　from　his　face；　Klinger　said；　〃I　believe　you've　signed　a　secrecy　pledge　like　everyone　else　at　Brockert。〃
　〃Yes；　I　have。〃
　〃You　just　now　violated　it。〃
　〃I　am　aware　of　that。〃
　〃Are　you　aware　of　the　penalty？〃　〃Yes。　But　I'll　never　suffer　it。〃
　〃You're　sure　of　yourself；　aren't　you？〃
　〃Damned　sure；〃　Salsbury　said。
　〃It　makes　no　difference；　you　know；　that　I