bl.necroscope2-第31章

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bug…and　the　mattock　wrenched　from　George's　nerveless　fingers　and　hurled　away。　And　George　finally　face　to　visage　with　the　man　he'd　intended　to　kill；　who　now　he　discovered　to　be　hardly　a　man　at　all　but　something　out　of　his　very　worst　nightmares。
　Fingers　of　rubber　with　the　strength　of　steel　gripped　his　shoulder　and　propelled　him　effortlessly；　irresistibly　towards　the　vat。　〃George；〃　the　nightmare　gurgled　almost　conversationally；　〃I　want　you　to　meet　something。。。〃
　
　
　Chapter　Six
　Alec　Kyle's　knuckles　were　white　where　his　hands　gripped　the　rim　of　his　desk。　〃God　in　heaven；　Harry！〃　he　cried；　staring　aghast　at　the　Keogh　apparition　where　bands　of　soft　light　flowed　through　it　from　the　window's　blinds。　〃Are　you　trying　to　scare　the　shit　out　of　me　before　we　even　get　started？〃
　I'm　telling　it　as　I　know　it。　That's　what　you　asked　me　to　do；　isn't　it？　Keogh　was　unrepentant。　Remember；　Alec；　you're　getting　it　secondhand。　I　got　it　straight　from　them；　from　the　dead…the　horse's　mouth；　as　it　were…and　believe　me　I've　watered　it　down　for　you！
　Kyle　gulped；　shook　his　head；　got　a　grip　of　himself。　Then　something　Keogh　had　said　got　through　to　him。　〃You　got　it　from　〃them〃？　Suddenly　I　have　this　feeling　you　don't　just　mean　Thibor　Ferenczy　and　George　Lake。〃
　No；　i've　spoken　to　the　Reverend　Pollock；　too。　From　Yulian's　christening？
　〃Oh；　yes。〃　Kyle　wiped　his　brow。　〃I　see　that　now。　Of　course。〃
　Alec！　Keogh's　soft　voice　was　sharper　now。　We　have　to　hurry。　Harry's　beginning　to　stir。
　And　not　only　the　real　child；　three　hundred　and　fifty　miles　away　in　Hartlepool；　but　also　its　ethereal　image　where　it　languidly　turned；　superimposed　over　and　within　Keogh's　midriff。　It　too　was　stirring；　slowly　stretching　from　its　foetal　position；　its　baby　mouth　opening　in　a　yawn。　The　Keogh　manifestation　began　to　waver　like　smoke；　like　the　heat　haze　over　a　summer　road。
　〃Before　you　go！〃　Kyle　was　desperate。　〃Where　do　I　start？〃
　He　was　answered　by　the　faint　but　very　definite　wail　of　a　waking　infant。　Keogh's　eyes　opened　wide。　He　tried　to　take　a　pace　forward；　towards　Kyle。　But　the　blue　shimmer　was　breaking　down；　like　a　television　image　going　wrong。　In　another　moment　it　snapped　into　a　single　vertical　line；　like　a　tube　of　electric　blue　light；　shortened　to　a　point　of　blinding　blue　fire　at　eye…level…and　blinked　out。
　But　ing　to　Kyle　as　from　a　million　miles　away：　Get　in　touch　with　Krakovitch。　Tell　him　what　you　know。　Some　of　it；　anyway。　You're　going　to　need　his　help。
　〃The　Russians？　But　Harry　…；　Goodbye；　Alec。　I'll　get。。。　back。。。　to。。。　you。
　And　the　room　was　pletely　still；　felt　somehow　empty。　The　central　heating　made　a　loud　click　as　it　switched　itself　off。
　Kyle　sat　there　a　long　time；　sweating　a　little；　breathing　deeply。　Then　he　noticed　the　lights　blinking　on　his　desk　munications；　heard　the　gentle；　almost　timid　rapping　on　his　office　door。　〃Alec？〃　a　voice　queried　from　outside。　It　was　Carl　Quint's　voice。　〃It　。　。　it's　gone　now。　But　I　suppose　you　know　that。　Are　you　all　right　in　there？〃
　Kyle　took　a　deep　breath；　pressed　the　mand　button。　〃It's　finished　for　now；〃　he　told　the　breathless；　waiting　HQ。　〃You'd　all　better　e　in　and　see　me。　There's　time　for　an　〃O'…group　before　we　knock　it　on　the　head　for　the　day。　There'll　be　things　you're　wanting　to　know；　and　things　we　have　to　talk　about。〃　He　released　the　button；　said　to　himself：　〃And　I　do　mean　〃things〃。〃
　
　The　Russian　response　was　immediate；　faster　than　Kyle　might　ever　have　believed。　He　didn't　know　that　Leonid　Brezhnev　would　soon　be　wanting　all　the　answers；　and　that　Felix　Krakovitch　had　only　four　months　left　of　his　year's　borrowed　time。
　They　were　to　meet　on　the　first　Friday　in　September；　these　two　heads　of　ESPionage；　on　neutral　ground。　The　venue　was　Genoa；　Italy；　a　seedy　bar　called　Frankie's　Franchise　lost　in　a　labyrinth　of　alleys　down　in　the　guts　of　the　city；　less　than　two　hundred　yards　from　the　waterfront。
　Kyle　and　Quint　got　into　Genoa's　surprisingly　ramshackle　Christopher　Columbus　airport　on　Thursday　eve…fling；　their　minder　from　British　Intelligence　（whom　they　hadn't　met　and　probably　wouldn't）　was　there　twelve　hours　earlier。　They'd　made　no　reservations　but　had　no　problems　getting　adjoining　rooms　at　the　Hotel　Genovese；　where　they　freshened　up　and　had　a　meal　before　retiring　to　the　bar。　The　bar　was　quiet；　almost　subdued；　where　half…a…dozen　Italians；　two　German　businessmen；　and　an　American　tourist　and　his　wife　sat　at　small　tables　or　at　the　bar　with　their　drinks。　One　of　the　Italians　who　sat　apart；　on　his　own；　wasn't　Italian　at　all；　he　was　Russian；　KGB；　but　Kyle　and　Quint　had　no　way　of　knowing　that。　He　had　no　ESP　talent　or　Quint　would　have　spotted　him　at　once。　They　didn't　spot　him　taking　photographs　of　them　with　a　tiny　camera；　either。　But　the　Russian　had　not　gone　entirely　undetected。　Earlier　he'd　been　seen　entering　the　hotel　and　booking　a　room。
　Kyle　and　Quint　were　in　a　corner　of　the　bar；　on　their　third　Vecchia　Romagnas；　and　talking　in　lowered　tones　about　their　business　with　Krakovitch　tomorrow；　when　the　bar　telephone　tinkled。　〃For　me！〃　Kyle　said　at　once；　starting　upright　on　his　barstool。　His　talent　always　had　that　effect　on　him：　it　startled　him　like　a　mild　electric　shock。
　The　bartender　answered　the　phone；　looked　up。　〃Signor…〃he　began。
　
　〃Kyle？〃　said　Kyle；　holding　out　his　hand。
　The　bartender　smiled；　nodded；　handed　him　the　phone。　〃Kyle？〃　he　said　again　into　the　mouthpiece。
　〃Brown　here；〃　said　a　soft　voice。　〃Mr　Kyle；　try　not　to　act　surprised　or　anything；　and　don't　look　up　or　go　all　furtive。　One　of　the　people　in　the　bar　with　you　is　a　Russian。　I　won't　describe　him　because　then　you'd　act　differently　and　he'd　notice　it。　But　I've　been　on　to　London　and　put　him　through　our　puter。　He's　dressed　Eyetie　but　he's　definitely　KGB；　name　of　Theo　Dolgikh。　He's　a　top　field　agent　for　Andropov。　Just　thought　you'd　like　to　know。　There　wasn't　supposed　to　be　any　of　this　stuff；　was　there？〃
　〃No；〃　said　Kyle；　〃there　wasn't。〃
　〃Tut…tut！〃　said　Brown。　〃I　should　be　a　bit　sharp　with　your　man　when　you　meet　him　tomorrow；　if　I　were　you。　It　really　isn't　good　enough。　And　just　for　your　peace　of　mind；　if　anything　were　to　happen　to　you…which　I　consider　unlikely…be　sure　Dolgikh's　a　goner　too；　OK？〃
　〃That's　very　reassuring；〃　said　Kyle　grimly。　He　gave　the　phone　back　to　the　barman。
　〃Problems？〃　Quint　raised　an　eyebrow。
　〃Finish　your　drink　and　we'll　talk　about　it　in　our　rooms；〃　said　Kyle　〃Just　act　naturally。　I　think　we're　on　Candid　Camera。〃　He　forced　a　smile；　swallowed　his　brandy　at　a　gulp；　stood　up。　Quint　followed　suit；　they　left　the　bar　unhurriedly　and　went　up　to　their　rooms；　in　Kyle's　room　they　checked　for　electronic　bugs。　This　was　as　much　a　job　for　their　psychic　sensitivity　as　for　their　five　mundane　senses；　but　the　room　was　clean。
　Kyle　told　Quint　about　the　call　in　the　bar。　Quint　was　an　extremely　wiry　man　of　about　thirty…five；　prematurely　balding；　soft…spoken　but　often　aggressive；　and　very　quick　thinking。　〃Not　a　very　auspicious　start；〃　he　growled。　〃Still；　I　suppose　we　should　have　expected　it。　This　is　what　your　mon…or…garden　secret　agent　es　up　against　all　the　time；　I'm　told。〃
　
　
　〃Well；　it's　not　on！〃　Kyle　was　angry。　〃This　was　supposed　to　be　a　meeting　of　minds；　not　muscle。〃
　〃Do　you　know　which　one　of　them　it　was？〃　Quint　was　practical　about　it。　〃I　think　I　can　remember　all　of　their　faces。　I'd　know　any　one　of　them　again　if　we　should　bump　into　him。〃
　〃Forget　it；〃　said　Kyle。　〃Brown　doesn't　want　a　confrontation。　He's　geared　to　get　nasty；　though；　if　things　go　wrong　for　us。〃
　〃Charmed；　I'm　sure！〃　said　Quint。
　〃My　reaction　exactly；〃　Kyle　agreed。
　Then　they　checked　Quint's　room　for　bugs　and；　finding　nothing；　called　it　a　day。
　Kyle　took　a　shower；　got　into　bed。　It　was　unfortably　warm　so　he　pushed　his　blankets　on　to　the　floor。　The　air　was　humid；　oppressive。　It　felt　like　rain；　and　if　a　storm　blew　up　it　would　probably　be　a　dandy。　Kyle　knew　Genoa　in　the　autumn；　also　knew　that　it　has　some　of　the　worst　storms　imaginable。
　He　left　his　bedside　light　burning；　settled　down　to　sleep。　A　door；　unlocked；　stood　between　the　two　rooms。　Quint　was　right　next　door；　probably　asleep　by　now。　The　city's　traffic　was　giving　it　hell　out　beyond　the　louvered　window　shutters。　London　was　a　tomb　by　parison。　Tombs　hardly　seemed　a　fitting　subject　to　go　to　sleep　on；　but