bl.necroscope2-第68章

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t　is　everywhere　evident。　Gracious　gardens　give　way　to　chasms　of　concrete；　the　parative　silence　of　select　residential　suburbs　is　torn　cityward　by　blasts　of　traffic　noise　which　lessen　not　at　all　through　the　night；　and　the　sweet　air　of　the　higher　levels　gives　way　to　dust　and　blue　exhaust　fumes　in　the　congested；　sunless　slums。　Built　on　a　mountainside；　Genoa's　levels　are　many　and　dizzying。
　British　Intelligence's　safe　house　there　was　an　enormous　top…floor　flat　in　a　towering　block　overlooking　the　Corso　Aurelio　Saffi。　To　the　front；　facing　the　ocean；　the　block　rose　five　high…ceilinged　storeys　above　the　road；　at　the　rear；　because　its　foundations　were　sunk　into　the　summit　of　a　fang　of　rock；　with　the　building　perched　on　its　rim；　there　was　a　second　level　three　floors　deeper。　The　aspect　from　the　stubby；　low…walled　rear　balconies　was　vertiginous；　and　especially　so　to　Jason　Cornwell；　alias　〃Mr　Brown〃。
　Genoa〃；　Sunday；　9。00　P。M。…but　in　Romania　Harry　Keogh　was　still　talking　to　the　vampire…hunters　in　their　suite　of　rooms　in　lonesti；　and　would　soon　set　off　to　follow　his　life…thread　into　the　near　future　and　in　Devon；　Yulian　Bodescu　continued　to　worry　about　the　men　who　were　watching　him　and　worked　out　a　plan　to　discover　who　they　were　and　what　their　interest　was。　But　here　in　Genoa　Jason　Cornwell　sat　thin…lipped　and　stiffly　erect　in　his　chair　and　watched　Theo　Dolgikh　using　a　kitchen　knife　to　pick　the　rotten　mortar　out　of　the　stonework　of　the　balcony's　already　dangerous　wall。　And　the　sweat　on　Cornwell's　upper　lip　and　in　his　armpits　had　little　or　nothing　to　do　with　Genoa's　sticky；　sultry　Indian　summer　atmosphere。
　But　it　did　have　to　do　with　the　fact　that　Dolgikh　had　caught　him　out；　trapped　the　British　spider　in　his　own　web；　right　here　in　this　safe　house。　Normally　the　flat　would　be　occupied　by　a　staff　of　two　or　three　other　secret　service　agents；　but　because　Cornwell　（or　〃Brown'）　was　busy　with　stuff　beyond　the　scope　of　ordinary　espionage…a　specialist　job；　as　it　were…the　regular　occupiers　had　been　〃called　away〃　on　other　work；　leaving　the　premises　suitably　empty　and　accessible　to　Brown　alone。
　Brown　had　taken　Dolgikh　on　Saturday；　but　only　a　little　more　than　twenty…four　hours　later　the　Russian　had　managed　to　turn　the　tables。　Feigning　sleep；　Dolgikh　had　waited　until　Sunday　noon　when　Brown　went　out　for　a　glass　of　beer　and　a　sandwich；　then　had　worked　frenziedly　to　free　himself　from　the　ropes　that　bound　him。　When　Brown　returned　fifty　minutes　later；　Dolgikh　had　taken　him　pletely　by　surprise。　Later。。。　Brown　had　e　to　with　a　start；　mind　and　flesh　simultaneously　assaulted　by　smelling　salts　squirted　into　his　nostrils　and　sharp　kicks　in　his　sensitive　places。　He'd　found　their　positions　reversed；　for　now　he　was　tied　in　the　chair　while　Dolgikh　was　the　one　with　the　smile。　Except　that　the　Russian's　smile　was　that　of　a　hyena。
　There　had　been　one　thing…really　only　one…that　Dolgikh　wanted　to　know：　where　were　Krakovitch；　Kyle　and　co　now？　It　was　quite　obvious　to　the　Russian　that　he'd　been　taken　out　of　the　game　deliberately；　which　might　possibly　mean　that　it　was　being　played　for　high　stakes。　Now　it　was　his　intention　to　get　back　in。
　〃I　don't　know　where　they　are；〃　Brown　had　told　him。　〃I'm　just　a　minder。　I　mind　people　and　I　mind　my　own　business。〃
　Dolgikh；　whose　English　was　good　however　guttural；　wasn't　having　any。　If　he　couldn't　find　out　where　the　espers　were；　that　was　the　end　of　his　mission。　His　next　job　would　likely　be　in　Siberia！　〃How　did　they　get　on　to　me？〃
　〃I　got　on　to　you。　Recognised　your　ugly　face…details　of　which　I've　already　passed　on　to　London。　As　for　them　recognising　you：　without　me　they　wouldn't　have　been　able　to　spot　you　in　a　monkey…house　at　the　zoo！　Not　that　that　would　mean　a　lot。　。
　〃If　you　told　them　about　me；　they　must　have　told　you　why　they　wanted　me　stopped。　And　they　probably　told　you　where　they　were　going。　Now　you'll　tell　me。〃
　〃I　can't　do　that。〃
　At　that　Dolgikh　had　e　very　close；　no　longer　smiling。　〃Mr　Secret　Agent；　minder；　or　whatever　you　are；　you　are　in　a　lot　of　trouble。　The　trouble　is　this：　that　unless　you　co…operate　I　will　surely　kill　you。　Krakovitch　and　his　soldier　friend　are　traitors；　for　they　must　at　least　have　knowledge　of　this。　You　told　them　I　was　here；　they　gave　you　your　orders；　or　at　least　went　along　with　those　orders。　I　am　a　field　agent　outside　my　country；　working　against　my　country's　enemies。　I　will　not　hesitate　to　kill　you　if　you　are　obstinate；　but　things　will　get　very　unpleasant　before　you　die。　Do　you　understand　me？〃
　Brown　had　understood　well　enough。　〃All　this　talk　of　killing；〃　he　tut…tutted。　〃I　could　have　killed　you　many　times　over；　but　those　weren't　my　instructions。　I　was　to　delay　you；　that's　all。　Why　blow　it　up　bigger　than　it　is？〃
　〃Why　are　the　British　espers　working　with　Krakovitch？
　What　are　they　doing？　The　trouble　with　this　psychic　gang　is　this：　both　sides　think　they're　bigger　than　the　rest　of　us。　They　think　mind　should　rule　the　world　and　not　muscle。　But　you　and　me　and　the　others　like　us；　we　know　that's　not　the　way　it　is。　The　strongest　always　wins。　The　great　warrior　triumphs　while　the　great　thinker　is　still　thinking　about　it。　Like　you　and　me。　You　do　what　they　tell　you　and　I　work　from　instinct。　And　I'm　the　one　on　top。〃
　〃Are　you？　Is　that　why　you　use　the　threat　of　death？〃
　〃Last　chance；　Mr　Minder。　Where　are　they？〃
　Still　Brown　wasn't　saying　anything。　He　merely　smiled　and　gritted　his　teeth。
　Dolgikh　had　no　more　time　to　waste。　He　was　an　expert　in　interrogation；　which　on　this　occasion　meant　torture。　Basically；　there　are　two　types　of　torture：　mental　and　physical。　Just　looking　at　Brown；　Dolgikh　guessed　that　pain　alone　wouldn't　crack　him。　Not　in　the　short　term。　Anyway；　Dolgikh　wasn't　carrying　the　rather　special　tools　he'd　require。　He　could　always　improvise　but。。。　it　wouldn't　be　the　same。　Also；　he　didn't　wish　to　mark　Brown；　not　initially；　anyway。　It　must；　therefore；　be　psychological…fear！
　And　the　Russian　had　discovered　Brown's　weakness　at　the　very　first　pass。　〃You'll　notice；〃　he　told　the　British　agent　conversationally；　〃that　while　you　are　securely　trussed；　a　far　better　job　than　you　did　on　me；　I　have　not　in　fact　bound　you　to　the　chair。〃　Then　〃he　had　opened　tall　louvre　doors　leading　out　onto　a　shallow　rear　balcony。　〃I　assume　you've　been　out　here　to　admire　the　view？〃
　Brown　had　gone　pale　in　a　moment。
　
　〃Oh？〃　Dolgikh　was　onto　him　in　a　flash。　〃Something　about　heights；　my　friend？〃　He　had　dragged　Brown's　chair　out　onto　the　balcony；　then　swung　it　sharply　round　so　that　Brown　was　thrown　against　the　wall。　Six　inches　of　brick　and　mortar　and　a　crumbling　plaster　finish　saved　him　from　space　and　gravity。　And　his　face　told　the　whole　story。
　Dolgikh　had　left　him　there；　hurried　through　the　flat　and　checked　out　his　suspicion。　Sure　enough；　he　found　every　window　and　balcony　door　shuttered；　closing　off　not　only　the　light　but　the　height。　Especially　the　height！　Mr　Brown　suffered　from　vertigo。
　And　after　that　it　had　been　a　different　game　entirely。
　The　Russian　had　dragged　Brown　back　inside　and　positioned　him　in　his　chair　six　feet　from　the　balcony。　Then　he'd　taken　a　kitchen　knife　and　started　to　loosen　the　masonry　of　the　wall；　in　plain　view　of　the　helpless　agent。　As　he'd　worked；　so　he'd　explained　what　he　was　about。
　〃Now　we're　going　to　start　again　and　I　will　ask　you　certain　questions。　If　you　answer　correctly…which　is　to　say　truthfully　and　without　obstruction…then　you　stay　right　where　you　are。　Better　still；　you　stay　alive。　But　every　time　you　fail　to　answer　or　tell　a　lie　I　shall　move　you　a　little　closer　to　the　balcony　and　loosen　more　of　the　mortar。　Naturally；　I'll　bee　frustrated　if　you　don't　play　the　game　my　way。　Indeed；　I　shall　probably　lose　my　temper。　In　which　case　I　may　be　tempted　to　throw　you　against　the　wall　again。　Except　that　the　next　time　I　do　that；　the　wall　will　be　so　much　weaker。　。
　And　so　the　game　had　begun。
　That　had　been　about　7。00　P。M。　and　now　it　was　9。00　P。M。；　the　face　of　the　balcony　wall；　which　had　bee　the　focus　of　Brown's　entire　being；　was　now　thoroughly　defaced　and　many　of　the　bricks　were　visibly　loose。　Worse；　Brown's　chair　now　stood　with　its　front　legs　on　the　balcony　itself；　no　more　than　three　feet　from　the　wall。　Beyond　that　wall　the　city's　silhouette　and　the　mountains　behind　it　were　sprinkled　with　twinkling