cp.reddice-第18章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　　I　don't　expect　to　get　a　response　to　my　outburst；　but　a　minute　later　the　TV　monitor　es　back　to　life。
　　Arturo　is　alone；　sitting　at　a　desk　in　the　security　room。　Around　the　corner；　as　they　say。
　　〃Sita；〃　he　says。　〃None　oho　mat　pensato　che　ti　avrei　rivista。〃
　　〃I　never　thought　I　would　see　you　again。〃
　　〃Same　here；〃　I　mutter。
　　〃Are　you　fortable？〃　he　asks；　switching　languages　effortlessly。　When　he　wishes；　he　has　no　accent。　He　must　have　been　living　in　America　for　a　long　time。
　　〃No　cage　is　ever　fortable。〃　I　pause。　〃Are　you　fortable？〃
　　He　spreads　his　hands。　I　remember　how　large　they　were。　Suddenly；　I　recall　many　details　about　him：　the　warm　gray　of　his　eyes；　the　strength　of　his　jawline。　Why　didn't　I　recognize　him？　There　are　the　obvious　reasons。　He　has　aged　twenty…five　years　since　we　last　met；　and　yet；　his　face　has　changed　more　than　the　two　and　a　half　decades　warrant。　Probably　since　it　has；　in　reality；　been　over　seven　hundred　years。
　　Yet　none　of　that　should　have　fooled　me。　I　didn't　recognize　him　for　two　sound　reasons：　I　knew　he　couldn't　possibly　exist　in　our　time；　so　I　never　even　considered　the　idea；　and　the　Andy　I　stalked　did　not　possess　the　same　soul　as　the　Arturo　I　once　loved。　This　man　who　stares　down　at　me…I　hardly　know　him；　and　I　slept　with　him　for　months。
　　〃What　would　you　have　me　do？〃　he　replies。　〃You　had　to　be　stopped。〃
　　My　voice　is　filled　with　scorn。　〃Stopped　from　what？〃
　　〃There　were　the　violent　murders　in　Los　Angeles。　I　knew　that　was　you。〃
　　〃You　knew　it　was　not　me！　〃You　knew　it　was　some　other　vampire！　Don't　start　off　our　first　conversation　in　seven　centuries　with　a　lie。　You　know　I　never　killed　for　pleasure。〃
　　My　wrath　makes　him　pull　back　a　step。　〃I　apologize。　I　should　say　I　knew　you　were　indirectly　involved。〃　He　pauses。　〃Who　mitted　the　killings？〃
　　I　forget　my　resolve　to　say　as　little　as　possible。　The　information　cannot　help　them；　anyway。　My　blood　is　all　that　matters。
　　〃A　psychotic　vampire　by　the　name　of　Eddie　Fender　started　the　murders。　The　LAPD　and　the　FBI　were　doing　everything　they　could　to　stop　him。　But　it　was　I　who　put　a　halt　to　the　killings。　And　what　do　I　get　for　it？　A　medal？　No；　the　entire　police　force　es　after　me。〃
　　〃You　killed　two　dozen　of　those　officers。〃
　　〃Because　they　were　trying　to　kill　me！　I　am　not　the　villain　here。　You　and　the　scum　you　are　associated　with　are。〃　I　pause；　settle　down。　〃Why　are　you　with　these　people？〃
　　〃I　can　help　them。　They　can　help　me。　We　have　vested　interests。　Isn't　that　the　reason　for　most　partnerships？〃
　　〃It　is　among　people　who　have　selfish　goals。　But　I　never　remember　you　as　selfish。　Why　are　you　working　for　the　U。S。　military　machine？〃
　　〃Surely　you　must　understand　by　now。　I　need　to　plete　my　experiments。〃
　　I　laugh。　〃Are　you　stilt　searching　for　the　blood　of　Christ？〃
　　〃You　say　it　as　if　it　were　a　fool's　errand。〃
　　〃It's　a　blasphemous　errand。　You　saw　what　happened　last　time。〃
　　〃I　made　an；　error…that's　all。　I　will　not　make　the　same　error　again。〃
　　〃That's　all？　Just　some　error？　What　about　Ralphe？　I　loved　that　boy。　You　loved　him。　And　you　turned　him　into　a　monster。　You　forced　me　to　kill　him。　Do　you　know　what　that　did　to　me？〃
　　Arturo's　voice　goes　cold。　〃It　made　you　want　to　testify　against　me？〃
　　〃You　had　to　be　stopped。　I　didn't　have　the　strength　or　the　will　to　do　it　myself。〃　I　pause。　〃You　had　a　chance　to　talk　to　me　in　the　inquisitor's　dungeon。　You　chose　not　to。〃
　　〃I　had　nothing　to　say。〃
　　〃Well；　then；　I　have　nothing　to　say　to　you　now。　e；　get　your　fresh　supply　of　vampire　blood。　Send　plenty　of　scientists　and　soldiers。　Not　all　of　them　will　be　ing　back　to　you。〃
　　〃You　present　no　danger　to　us　as　long　as　you　are　in　your　cell。　And　you　will　remain　in　there　for　the　remainder　of　your　life。〃
　　〃We　will　see；〃　I　whisper　faintly。
　　〃Sita；　I'm　surprised　at　you。　Aren't　you　curious　how　I'm　still　alive？〃
　　I　draw　in　a　weary　breath。　〃I　have　an　idea　as　to　how　you　survived。　Even　when　you　swore　to　me　you　weren't　experimenting　on　yourself；　you　were。　That's　why　you　began　to　have　visions　of　DNA。　You　were　seeing　it　through　the　eyes　of　your　blessed　hybrid　state。〃
　　〃I　did　experiment　on　myself。　That　is　true。　But　I　never　reached　the　full　hybrid　status。　That　must　be　obvious　to　you；〃
　　I　nod。　〃Because　you　have　aged。　Does　it　hurt；　Arturo；　that　you're　not　the　dashing　young　priest　anymore？〃
　　〃I　may　yet　achieve　immortality。〃
　　〃Hmm。　And　I　always　thought　you　wanted　to　die　and　go　to　heaven。〃　He　is　right；　of　course；　I　am　curious　about　those　days。　〃What　happened　after　the　trial？　How　did　you　escape？　I　heard　they　burned　you　at　the　stake。〃
　　〃The　inquisitor　granted　me　a　private　audience。　He　couldn't　let　me　go；　he　said；　but　in　exchange　for　my　confession　of　witchcraft；　he　agreed　to　hang　instead　of　burn　me。〃
　　〃And　you　recovered？〃
　　〃Yes。〃
　　〃Were　you　not　surprised？〃
　　〃Yes。　It　was　a　calculated　risk。　I　didn't　have　many　options。〃
　　I　hesitate。　〃What　did　you　do　to　Ralphe？〃
　　For　once；　Arturo　looks　ashamed。　〃I　exposed　him　to　the　vial　of　your　blood…with　the　midday　sun　pouring　through　it。〃
　　I　was　aghast。　〃But　you　said　you'd　never　consider　that。　The　vibration　would　destroy　a　man　or　woman。〃
　　〃You　saw　how　the　word　was　spreading　about　me。　I　had　only　a　limited　time　to　plete　my　experiments。　Ralphe　had　been　spying　on　us　all　along。　Neither　of　us　knew。　He　saw　what　we　were　up　to。　He　wanted　to　try　it。〃
　　Fury　possesses　me。　〃That's　a　ridiculous　rationalization！　He　was　a　child！　He　didn't　know　what　would　happen　to　him！　You　did！〃
　　〃Sita。〃
　　〃You　were　a　coward！　If　your　experiment　was　so　precious　to　you；　why　didn't　you　perform　it　on　yourself；　with　the　midday　sun　pouring　through　my　bloody　vial？〃
　　My　words　wound　him；　but　he　is　still　full　of　surprises。　〃But　I　did　subject　myself　to　the　blood　in　the　sunlight。　That　morning；　when　the　mob　approached　the　church；　I　heard　them　ing。　I　hurried　down　to　the　basement　and　let　the　full　power　of　the　vampire　vibration　wash　over　me。　I　believe　that　is　why　I　have　been　able　to　live　as　long　as　I　have。　If　the　mob　had　not　stopped　me；　maybe　the　transformation　would　have　been　plete；　and　I　would　have　achieved　the　perfect　state。　I　was　never　to　know。　The　first　thing　the　mob　did　was　break　the　vial。〃
　　His　words　sober　me。　〃Then　what　went　wrong　with　Ralphe？　Why　did　he　turn　into　a　monster？〃
　　〃There　could　be　many　factors　that　influenced　his　oute。　One　was　that　I　laid　him　on　the　copper　sheets　when　the　sun　was　high　in　the　sky。　Also…and　I　think　this　is　the　primary　reason　the　experiment　failed…　Ralphe　was　ordinarily　fearless　by　nature。　But　when　the　transformation　started；　he　got　scared。　The　power　of　the　magnetic　field　magnified　his　fear；　which　in　turn　warped　his　DMA。　When　the　process　was　plete；　I　couldn't　control　him。　He　had　the　strength　of　ten　men。　He　was　out　the　door　before　I　could　stop　him。〃
　　〃You　should　have　told　me。　I　could　have　stopped　him　before　he　killed　anyone。　We　might　have　been　able　to　change　him　back。〃
　　Arturo　shook　his　head。　〃I　don't　think　there　was　any　going　back。〃　He　adds；　〃I　was　too　ashamed　to　tell　you。〃
　　〃Finally；　the　high　priest　confesses。〃　I　continue　to　sneer　at　him。　〃All　your　talk　doesn't　disguise　the　fact　that　you　experimented　on　a　child　before　yourself。　And　that　you　lied　to　me；　after　swearing　on　the　name　of　your　precious　God　that　you　would　always　tell　me　the　truth。〃
　　〃Everyone　lies；〃　he　says。
　　〃Guarda　cosa　sei　diventata；　Arturo；〃　I　say；　reverting　to　the　language　of　his　youth；　out　of　frustration；　hope。　〃Look　what's　bee　of　you；　Arturo。〃　〃When　we　first　met；　you　wouldn't　have　hurt　a　fly。　That's　why　I　gave　you　my　blood。　I　trusted　you。〃
　　Even　on　the　monitor；　I　see　his　gaze　is　focused　in　the　far　distance。　My　words　stir　painful　memories；　for　both　of　us。　My　hatred　for　him　is　matched　only　by　my　love。　Yes；　I　still　love　him；　and　I　hate　that　about　myself。　He　seems　to　sense　my　thoughts　for　he　suddenly　glances　back　at　me　and　smiles。　It　is　a　sad　smile。
　　〃I　cannot　defend　my　acts　to　you；〃　he　replies。　〃Except　to　say　I　thought　the　rewards　of　success　outweighed　the　possibility　of　failure。　Yes；　I　should　never　have　used　Ralphe。　Yes；　I　should　never　have　lied　to　you。　But　if　I　had　done　these　things…where　would　we　be　today？　I'd　be　long　dead　in　a　forgotten　grave　and　you'd　be　safe　and　secure　in　your　own　selfish　universe。　We　wouldn't　have　your　blood　now　so　we　could　continue　with　our　noble　quest　to　finish　what　was　started　seven　centuries　ago。〃
　　I　snicker。　〃I　can't　help　but　notice　that　you　apply　the　word　selfish　to　me。　What　sickness　was　magnified　in　your　field　when　you　lay　beneath　the　vibration　of　my　blood？　You　have　bee　a　megalomaniac。　You　were　a　priest；　a　good　priest。　You　used　to　humble　yourself　before　God。　Now　you　want　to　be　God。　If　Jesus　were　alive　today；　what　would　you　say　to　him？　Or　would　you　give　him　a　chance　to　explain　himself　before　stealing　his　blood？〃
　　〃Do　you　want　a　chance　to　explain　yourself？〃　Arturo　asks　gently。
　　〃I　answer　to　no　man。　My　conscience　is　clear。〃
　　He　raises　his　voice。　I　have　finally　hit　a　button。　〃I　don't　believe　you；　Sita。　Why　couldn't　you　look　at　me　when　you　accused　me　of　witchcraft？〃
　　〃You　were　a　witch！　And　you　haven't　changed！　Goddamn　you；　Arturo；　can't　you　see　how　dangerous　it　is　for　me　to　be　held　captive　by　these　people？　I　just　have　to　look　at　General　Havor　to　know　he　wants　to　rule　the　world。〃
　　〃He's　not　the　monster　Andy　led　you　to　believe。〃
　　〃You　talk　about　beliefs。　What　do　you　believe　in　these　days？　I　never　met　Jesus；　it's　true。　But　you　must　know　as　well　as　I　that　he　would　never　condone　your　methods。　Your　lying　and　ambushing　and　torture。　The　means　do　not　justify　the　end。　You　did　not　watch
　　Ralphe　chew　on　human　flesh。　If　you　had　seen　him；　you'd　know　that　this　path　you　want　to　take　stinks　of　the　devil。〃
　　Arturo　sits　back　from　the　screen。　He　is　as　tired　as　I　am；　perhaps　shaken　as　well。　In　that　moment；　his　face　bees　much　older　than　forty…five。　He　appears　ready　for　the　grave。　Yet　he　is　resolved；　his　destiny　will　be　fulfilled。　He　shakes　his　head　as　he　sighs。
　　〃We　can　do　this　the　hard　way；　Sita；〃　he　says。　〃Or　we　can　do　it　the　easy　way。　It　is　up　to　you。　I　need　your　blood　and　I　am　going　to　have　it。〃
　　I　smile　grimly。　〃Then　you'd　better　prepare　yourself　for　a　fight。　Let　me　warn　you；　Arturo…I've　shown　you　only　a　fraction　of　my　powers。　But　if　you　e　after　me　now；　you　will　see　all　of　them。　There　aren't　enough　soldiers　and　bullets　in　this　pound　to　contain　me　for　the　remainder　of　my　life。　Tell　your　general　that　people　will　die　if　I'm　not　released。　Their　deaths　will　be　on　your　conscience；　Arturo。　I　swear　in　the　name　of　my　God；　you　will　never　get　to　heaven…in　this　world　or　the　next。〃
　　The　screen　goes　dead。
　　But　not　before　I　see　the　fear　in　his　eyes。
　　　
　　　15
　　More　hours　pass。　Joel　lies　sleeping。　Once　again　I　sit　silently　on　the　floor；　my　legs　crossed；　my　eyes　closed。　Yet　this　time　my　attention　is　turned　outward。　Through　the　wall；　I　can　just　hear　the　guards　at　the　security　station　talk。　There　are　three　of　them　now。　They　discuss　a　football　game。
　　〃Those　Forty…Niners　are　amazing；〃　Guard　One　says。　〃Their　offense　works　like　a　machine　gun…it　just　keeps　firing。　I　felt　sorry　for　the　Cowboys。〃
　　〃You　know；　everybody　looks　at　the　quarterback；〃　Guard　Two　says。　〃But　I　think　when　you　got　the　receivers；　you　got　all　yo