bl.necroscope2-第6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！


　The　figure　seemed　etched　in　pale　blue　light：　insubstantial　as　a　moonbeam；　less　than　a　puff　of　smoke。　Incorporeal；　yet　there　was　a　power　in　it。　An　unbelievable　power。
　Taking　into　account　the　fact　that　his　neon…limned　feet　weren't　quite　touching　the　floor；　Keogh　must　be　about　five…ten　in　height。　If　his　flesh　were　real　instead　of　luminous　filament；　he　would　weigh　maybe　nine　and　a　half　to　ten　stone。　Everything　about　him　was　now　vaguely　fluorescent；　as　if　shining　with　some　faint　inner　light；　so　Kyle　couldn't　be　sure　about　colouring。　His　hair；　an　untidy　mop；　might　be　sandy；　his　face　slightly　freckled。　He　would　be　twenty…one；　twenty…two　years　old。
　His　eyes　were　interesting。　They　looked　at　Kyle　and　yet　seemed　to　look　right　through　him；　as　if　he　were　the　apparition　and　not　the　other　way　about。　They　were　blue；　those　eyes…a　startling；　almost　colourless　blue　neon…but　more　than　this；　there　was　that　in　those　eyes　which　said　they　knew　more　than　any　twenty…two　year　old　had　any　right　to　know。　The　wisdom　of　ages　seemed　locked　in　them；　the　knowledge　of　centuries　lying　just　beneath　the　shimmer　of　blue　haze　which　covered　them。
　Apart　from　that：　his　features　would　be　fine；　like　blue　porcelain　and　seemingly　equally　fragile；　his　hands　slim；　tapering；　his　shoulders　drooped　a　little；　his　skin　in　general；　apart　from　the　freckles；　pale　and　unblemished。　But　for　those　eyes；　you　probably　wouldn't　look　twice　at　him　on　the　street。　He　was　just。。。a　young　man。　Or　had　been。
　And　now？　Now　he　was　something　more。　Harry　Keogh's　body　had　no　real；　physical　existence　now；　but　his　mind　went　on。　And　his　mind　was　housed　in　a　new…quite　literally　new…body。　Kyle　found　himself　starting　to　examine　that　part　of　the　apparition；　quickly　checked　himself。　What　was　there　to　examine？　In　any　case　it　could　wait；　wasn't　important。　All　that　mattered　was　that　Keogh　was　here；　and　that　he　had　something　important　to　say。
　〃Something's　e　up？〃　Kyle　repeated　the　Keogh　projection's　statement；　made　it　a　question。　〃What　sort　of　something；　Harry？〃
　Something　monstrous！　Right　now　I　can　give　you　only　the　barest　outline…I　simply　don't　know　enough　about　it；　not　yet。　But　do　you　remember　what　I　told　you　about　the　Russian　E…Branch？　And　about　Dragosani？　I　know　there　was　no　way　you　could　check　it　all　out；　but　have　you　looked　into　it　at　all？　Do　you　believe　what　I　told　you　about　Dragosani？
　While　Keogh　spoke　to　him；　so　Kyle　had　stared　fascinated　at　that　facet　of　him　which　was　different；　that　：　addition　to　him　since　the　last　time　he'd　seen　or　sensed　him。　For　now；　superimposed　over　the　apparition's　abdomen…suspended　in　midair　and　slowly　spinning　on　its　own　axis；　turning　in　the　space　that　Keogh's　body　occupied…there　floated　a　naked　male　baby；　or　the　ghost　of　one；　just　as　insubstantial　as　Keogh　himself。　The　child　was　curled　like　a　foetus　floating　in　some　invisible；　churning　fluid；　like　some　strange　biological　exhibit；　like　a　hologram。　But　it　was　a　real　baby；　and　alive；　and　Kyle　knew　that　it；　too；　was　Harry　Keogh。
　〃About　Dragosani？〃　Kyle　came　back　to　earth。　〃Yes；　I　believe　you。　I　have　to　believe　you。　I　checked　out　as　much　as　I　could　and　it　was　all　exactly　as　you　said。　And　as　for　Borowitz's　branch…whatever　you　did　there；　it　was　devastating！　They　contacted　us　a　week　later；　the　Russians；　and　asked　us　if　we　wanted　you。。。　I　mean…〃
　〃My　body？〃
　〃…if　we　wanted　it　back；　yes。　They　contacted　us；　you　understand。　Direct。　It　didn't　e　through　diplomatic　channels。　They　weren't　ready　to　admit　that　they　existed；　and　didn't　expect　us　to　admit　that　we　existed。　Therefore　you　didn't　exist；　but　they　asked　us　if　we　wanted　you　back　anyway。　With　Borowitz　gone　they　have　a　new　boss；　Felix　Krakovitch。　He　said　we　could　have　you；　if　we'd　tell　them　how。　How　you　did　what　you　did　to　them。　What；　exactly；　you'd　done　to　them。　I'm　sorry；　Harry；　but　we　had　to　deny　you；　tell　them　we　didn't　know　you。　Actually；　we　didn't　know　you！　Only　I　knew　you；　and　Sir　Keenan　before　me。　But　if　we'd　admitted　you　were　one　of　ours；　what　you'd　done　might　be　construed　as　warfare。〃
　Actually；　it　was　mayhem！　said　Keogh。　Listen；　Alec；　this　can't　be　like　the　last　time　we　talked。　I　may　not　have　the　time。　On　the　metaphysical　plane　I　have　parative　free…dom。　In　the　Mobius　continuum　I'm　a　free　agent。　But　here　in　the　physical　now　I'm　a　virtual　prisoner　in　little　Harry。　Right　now　he's　asleep　and　I　can　use　his　subconscious　mind　as　my　own。　But　when　he's　awake　his　mind's　his　own；　and　like　a　magnet　I'm　drawn　back　to　it。　The　stronger　he　gets…the　more　his　mind　learns…the　less　freedom　for　me。　Eventually　I'll　be　forced　to　leave　him　entirely　for　an　existence　along　the　Mobius　way。　If　I　get　the　chance　I'll　explain　all　of　that　later；　but　for　now　we　don't　know　how　long　he'll　sleep　and　so　we　have　to　use　our　time　wisely。　And　what　I　have　to　say　can't　wait。
　〃And　it　somehow　concerns　Dragosani？〃　Kyle　frowned。　〃But　Dragosani's　dead。　You　told　me　that　yourself。〃
　Keogh's　face…the　face　of　his　apparition…was　grave　now。　Do　you　remember　what　he　was；　this　Dragosani？
　〃He　was　a　necromancer；〃　said　Kyle　at　once；　no　shadow　of　doubt　in　his　mind。　〃Much　like　you。〃　He　saw　his　mistake　immediately　and　could　have　bitten　his　tongue。
　Unlike　me！　Keogh　corrected　him。　I　was；　I　am；　a　necroscope；　not　a　necromancer。　Dragosani　stole　the　secrets　of　the　dead　like。。。　like　an　insane　dentist　yanking　healthy　teeth…without　an　anaesthetic。　Me：　I　talk　to　the　dead　and　respect　them。　And　they　respect　me。　But　very　well；　I　know　that　was　a　slip　of　the　tongue。　I　know　you　didn't　mean　that。　So　yes；　he　was　a　necromancer。　But　because　of　what　the　old　Thing　in　the　ground　did　to　him；　he　was　more　than　that。　He　was　worse　than　that。
　Of　course。　Now　Kyle　remembered。　〃You　mean　he　was　also　a　vampire。〃
　Keogh's　shimmering　image　nodded。　That's　exactly　what　I　mean。　And　that's　why　I'm　here　now。　You　see；　you're　the　only　one　in　the　world　who　can　do　anything　about　it。　You　and　your　branch；　and　maybe　your　Russian　counterparts。　And　when　you　know　what　I'm　talking　about；　then　you'll　have　to　do　something　about　it。
　Such　was　Keogh's　intensity；　such　the　warning　in　his　mental　voice；　that　gooseflesh　crept　on　Kyle's　spine。　〃Do　something　about　what；　Harry？〃
　About　the　rest　of　them；　the　apparition　answered。　You　see；　Alec；　Dragosani　and　Thibor　Ferenczy　weren't　the　only　ones。　And　God　only　knows　how　many　more　there　are！
　〃Vampires？〃　Kyle　thrilled　with　horror。　He　remembered　only　too　well　that　story　Keogh　had　told　him　some　eight　months　ago。　〃You're　sure？〃
　Oh　yes。　In　the　Mobius　continuum…looking　out　through　the　doors　of　time　past　and　time　to　e…I've　seen　their　scarlet　threads。　I　wouldn't　have　known　them；　might　never　have　e　across　them；　but　they　cross　young　Harry's　blue　life　thread。　Yes；　and　they　cross　yours；　too！
　Hearing　that；　it　was　as　if　the　cold　blade　of　a　psychic　knife　lanced　into　Kyle's　heart。　〃Harry；〃　he　said　stumblingly；　〃you'd。。。　you'd　better　tell　me　all　you　know；　and　then　what　I　must　do。〃
　I'll　tell　you　as　much　as　I　can；　and　then　we'll　try　to　decide　what's　to　be　done。　As　to　how　I　know　what　I'm　about　to　tell　you。。。　The　apparition　shrugged。　I'm　a　necroscope；　remember？　I've　talked　to　Thibor　Ferenczy　himself；　as　I　once　promised　him　I　would；　and　I've　talked　to　one　other。　A　recent　victim。　More　of　him　later。　But　mainly　the　story　is　Thibor's。。。
　
　
　Chapter　Two
　The　old　Thing　in　the　ground　trembled　however　minutely；　shuddered　slightly；　strove　to　return　to　his　immemorial　dreaming。　Something　was　intruding；　threatening　to　rouse　him　up　from　his　dark　slumbers；　but　sleep　had　bee　a　habit　which　satisfied　his　every　need。。。　almost。　He　clung　to　his　loathsome　dreams…of　madness　and　mayhem；　the　hell　of　living　and　the　horror　of　dying；　and　the　pleasures　of　blood；　blood；　blood…and　felt　the　cold　embrace　of　the　clotted　earth　closing　him　in；　weighing　him　down；　holding　him　here　in　his　darkling　grave。　And　yet　the　earth　was　familiar　and　no　longer　held　any　terrors　for　him；　the　darkness　was　like　that　of　a　shuttered　room　or　deep　vault；　an　impenetrable　gloom　entirely　in　keeping；　the　forbidding　nature　and　location　of　his　mausoleum　not　only　set　him　apart　but　kept　him　protected。　He　was　safe　here。　Damned　forever；　certainly…doomed　for　all　time；　yes；　barring　some　major　miracle　of　intervention…but　safe；　too；　and　there　was　much　to　be　said　for　safety。
　Safe　from　t