bl.necroscope2-第94章

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Gerenko's）　office；　entered　the　anteroom　and　knocked　firmly　on　the　closed　inner　door。
　Gerenko　heard　her　knock；　forced　himself　awake　and　struggled　to　sit　up。　In　his　shrivelled　frame　he　tired　easily；　slept　often　but　poorly。　Sleep　was　one　way　of　prolonging　a　life　which　doctors　had　told　him　would　be　short。　It　was　the　ultimate　irony：　men　could　not　kill　him；　but　his　own　frailty　surely　would。　At　only　thirty…seven　he　already　looked　sixty；　a　shrunken　monkey　of　a　man。　But　still　a　man。
　〃e　in；〃　he　wheezed；　as　he　sucked　air　into　his　fragile　lungs。
　Outside　the　door；　while　Gerenko　had　e　more　surely　awake；　Zek　F？ener　had　broken　a　trust。　It　was　an　unwritten　rule　at　the　Chateau　that　telepaths　would　not　deliberately　spy　on　the　minds　of　their　colleagues。　That　was　all　very　well　and　only　decent　in　normal　conditions；　normal　circumstances。　But　on　this　occasion　there　were　gross　abnormalities；　things　which　F？ener　must　track　down　to　her　satisfaction。
　For　one；　the　way　Gerenko　had　literally　taken　over　Krakovitch's　job。　It　wasn't　as　if　he　stood　in　for　him　at　all；　but　had　in　fact　replaced　him…permanently！　F？ener　had　liked　Krakovitch；　from　Kyle　she　had　learned　about　Theo　Dolgikh's　surveillance　activities　in　Genoa；　Kyle　and　Krakovitch　had　been　working　together　on　…〃e　in！〃　Gerenko　repeated；　breaking　her　chain　of　thought；　but　not　before　everything　had　fallen　together。　Gerenko's　ambition　burned　bright　in　her　mind；　bright　and　ugly。　And　his　intention；　to　use　those。。。　those　Things　which　Krakovitch　was　quite　rightly　bent　on　destroying　。
　She　drew　air　deeply　and　entered　the　office；　staring　at　Gerenko　where　he　lay　in　the　dark　on　his　cot；　propped　up　on　one　elbow。
　He　put　on　a　bedside　lamp　and　blinked　as　his　weak　eyes　accustomed　themselves。　〃Yes？　What　is　it；　Zek？〃
　〃Where's　Theo　Dolgikh？〃　she　waded　straight　in。　No　preliminaries；　no　formalities。
　〃What？〃　He　blinked　at　her。　〃Is　something　wrong；　Zek？〃
　〃Many　things；　perhaps。　I　said　…〃
　〃I　heard　what　you　said；〃　he　snapped。　〃And　what　has　it　to　do　with　you　where　Dolgikh　is？〃
　〃I　saw　him　for　the　first　time；　with　you；　on　the　morning　that　Felix　Krakovitch　left　for　Italy…after　he　left；〃　she　answered。　〃Following　which　he　was　absent　until　he　brought　Alec　Kyle　back　here。　But　Kyle　wasn't　working　against　us。　He　was　working　with　Krakovitch。　For　the　good　of　the　world。〃
　Gerenko　swung　his　brittle　legs　carefully　off　the　cot　onto　the　floor。　〃He　should　only　have　been　working　for　the　good　of　the　USSR；〃　he　said。
　〃Like　you？〃　she　came　back　at　once；　her　voice　sharp　as　broken　glass。　〃I　know　now　what　they　were　doing；　rade。　Something　that　had　to　be　done；　for　safety　and　sanity。　Not　for　themselves；　but　for　mankind。〃
　Gerenko　eased　himself　to　his　feet。　He　wore　child's　pyjamas；　looked　frail　as　a　twig　as　he　made　for　his　great　desk。　〃Are　you　accusing　me；　Zek？〃
　〃Yes！〃　She　was　relentless；　furious。　〃Kyle　was　our　opponent；　but　he　personally　had　not　declared　war　on　us。　We　aren't　at　war；　rade。　And　we've　murdered　him。　No；　you　have　murdered　him…to　foster　your　own　ambitions！〃
　Gerenko　climbed　into　his　chair；　put　on　a　desk　lamp　and　aimed　its　light　at　her。　He　steepled　his　hands　in　front　of　him；　shook　his　head　almost　sadly。　〃You　accuse　me？　And　yet　you　were　party　to　it。　You　drained　his　mind。〃
　〃I　did　not！〃　She　came　forward。　Her　face　was　working；　full　of　anger。　〃I　merely　read　his　thoughts　as　they　flooded　out　of　him。　Your　technicians　drained　him。〃
　Unbelievably；　Gerenko　chuckled。　〃Mechanical　necromancy；　yes。〃
　She　slammed　her　hand　flat　down　on　the　desk　top。　〃But　he　wasn't　dead！〃
　Gerenko's　shrivelled　lips　curled　into　a　sneer。　〃He　is　now；　or　as　good　as。　。
　〃Krakovitch　is　loyal；　and　he's　Russian。〃　She　wouldn't　be　stopped。　〃And　yet　you'll　murder　him　too。　And　that　really　would　be　murder！　You　must　be　mad！〃　And　in　that　she　had　hit　upon　the　truth。　For　Gerenko's　warps　weren't　only　in　his　body。
　〃That…is…enough！〃　he　snarled。　〃Now　you　listen　to　me；　rade。　You　speak　of　my　ambition。　But　if　I　grow　strong；　Russia　herself　grows　that　much　stronger。　Yes；　for　we　are　one　and　the　same。　You？　You've　not　been　Russian　long　enough　to　know　that。　This　country's　strength　lies　in　its　people！　Krakovitch　was　weak；　and　…；　〃Was？〃　Her　arms　trembled　where　she　leaned　forward；　knuckles　white　on　the　edge　of　his　desk。
　He　suddenly　felt　that　she　had　grown　very　dangerous。
　He　would　make　one　last　effort。　〃Listen；　Zek。　The　Party　Leader　is　a　weak　old　man。　He　can't　go　on　much　longer。
　The　next　leader；　however　…〃
　〃Andropov？〃　Her　eyes　went　wide。　〃I　can　read　it　in　your　mind；　rade。　Is　that　how　it　will　be？　That　KGB　thug？　The　man　you　already　call　your　master！〃
　Gerenko's　faded　eyes　suddenly　narrowed；　their　slits　blazing　with　his　own　anger。　〃When　Brezhnev　is　gone　…〃
　〃But　he　isn't；　not　yet！〃　She　was　shouting　now。　〃And　when　he　learns　of　this　。　。
　That　was　an　error；　a　bad　one。　Even　Brezhnev　couldn't　harm　Gerenko；　not　personally；　not　physically。　But　he　could　have　it　done　for　him…at　a　distance。　He　could　have　Gerenko's　state　flat　in　Moscow　booby…trapped。　Once　a　booby…trap　is　set；　no　man's　hand　is　involved。　From　then　on　the　thing　is　entirely　automatic。　Or　Gerenko　could　wake　up　one　morning　and　find　himself　behind　bars…and　then　they　could　forget　to　feed　him！　His　talent　did　have　certain　limitations。
　He　stood　up。　In　his　child's　hand　was　an　automatic；　taken　from　a　drawer　in　the　desk。　His　voice　was　a　whisper。　〃Now　you　will　listen　to　me；〃　he　said；　〃and　I　will　tell　you　exactly　how　it　is　going　to　be。　First；　you　won't　speak　of　this　matter　or　even　mention　it　again；　not　to　anyone。　You've　been　sworn　to　secrecy　here　at　the　Chateau。　Break　your　trust　and　I'll　break　you！　Second：　you　say　we　are　not　at　war。　But　you　have　a　short　memory。　The　British　espers　declared　war　against　E…Branch　nine　months　ago。　And　they　came　close　to　destroying　the　organisation　utterly！　You　were　new　here　then；　you　were　away　somewhere；　holidaying　with　your　father。　You　saw　nothing　of　it。　But　let　me　tell　you　that　if　this　Harry　Keogh　of　theirs　were　still　alive。。。〃　He　paused　for　breath；　and　F？ener　bit　her　tongue　to　keep　from　telling　him　the　truth：　that　indeed　Harry　Keogh　was　still　alive；　however　helpless。
　〃Third；〃　he　finally　continued；　〃I　could　kill　you　now…on　the　spot；　shoot　you　dead…and　no　one　would　even　question　me　about　it。　If　they　did；　I　would　say　that　I　had　had　my　suspicions　about　you　for　a　long　time。　I　would　tell　them　that　your　work　had　driven　you　mad；　and　that　you　threatened　me；　threatened　E…Branch。　You　are　quite　correct；　Zek；　the　Party　Leader　puts　a　deal　of　faith　in　the　branch。　He　is　fond　of　it。　Under　old　Gregor　Borowitz　it　served　him　well。　What；　a　woman；　mad；　running　around　loose　here；　threatening　irreparable　damage？　Of　course　I　should　shoot　her！　And　I　will…if　you　don't　mark　each　word　I　say　most　carefully。　Do　you　think　anyone　would　believe　your　accusation？　Where's　the　proof？　In　your　head？　In　your　addled　head！　Oh；　they　just　might　believe；　I'll　grant　you　that…but　what　if　they　didn't？　And　would　I　sit　still　and　simply　let　you　have　it　all　your　own　way？　Would　Theo　Dolgikh　sit　still　for　that？　You　have　any　easy　time　here；　Zek。　Ah；　but　there　are　other　jobs　in　other　places　for　a　strong　young　woman　in　the　USSR。　After　your…rehabilitation？…doubtless　they'd　find　you　one　。　。
　Again　he　paused；　put　away　the　gun。　He　saw　that　he　had　made　his　point。
　〃Now　get　out　of　here；　but　don't　leave　the　Chateau。　I　want　a　report　on　everything　you　learned　from　Kyle。　Everything。　The　initial　report　may　be　brief；　an　outline。　I'll　have　that　by　midday　tomorrow。　The　final　report　will　be　detailed　down　to　the　last　minutia。　Do　you　understand？〃
　She　stood　looking　at　him；　bit　her　lip。
　〃Well？〃
　Finally　she　nodded；　blinked　away　tears　of　frustration；　turned　on　her　heel。　On　her　way　out；　he　softly　said；　〃Zek；〃　and　she　paused。　But　she　didn't　face　him。　〃Zek；　you　have　a　great　future。　Remember　that。　And　really；　that's　the　only　choice　you　have。　A　great　future…or　none　at　all。〃
　Then　she　left　and　closed　the　door　behind　her。
　She　went　to　her　own　small　suite　of　rooms；　the　austere　quarters　she　used　when　she　was　not　on　duty；　and　threw　herself　down　on　her　bed。　To　hell　with　his　report。　She'd　do　it　in　her　own　time；　if　she　did　it　at　all。　For　what　use　would　she　be　to　Gerenko　once　he　knew　what　she　knew？
　After　a　little　while　she　managed　to　pose　herself　and