p&c.brimstone-第69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！


　Pendergast　consulted　a　small　map；　and　they　moved　toward　the　first　warehouse。　Inside　it　smelled　of　mold　and　dry　rot；　their　footsteps；　even　with　the　silent　shoes；　seemed　to　echo。　They　passed　through　a　far　door　into　a　gigantic　square　surrounded　by　buildings。　The　cement　of　the　square　was　riddled　with　cracks；　through　which　thrust　dark　vegetation。　
　〃What　if　they　have　dogs？〃　D'Agosta　whispered。　
　〃Loose　dogs　are　a　thing　of　the　past。　They're　unpredictable；　noisy；　and　often　end　up　attacking　the　wrong　person。　Dogs　are　now　only　used　for　tracking。　What　we　have　to　watch　out　for　will　be　far　more　subtle。〃　
　They　crossed　the　expanse　of　concrete。　Nocturnal　animals　rustled　in　the　foliage　as　they　passed。　At　the　far　end　of　the　courtyard　was　a　grassy　alley　between　two　rows　of　ruined　buildings；　the　heaps　of　masonry　covered　with　ivy　that；　in　the　darkness；　looked　like　spreading　stains。　Pendergast　proceeded　more　cautiously　now；　using　a　small；　hooded　flashlight　to　illuminate　their　way。　Halfway　along　the　alley　he　paused；　knelt；　and　examined　the　ground。　Then　he　picked　up　a　branch　and　gave　a　little　poke　to　the　grass　ahead。　He　prodded　harder；　and　the　stick　suddenly　broke　through　into　space。　
　〃A　pit；〃　he　said。　〃Notice　that；　with　these　ruins　flanking　either　side；　this　alley　is　the　only　way　to　proceed。〃　
　〃A　booby　trap？〃　
　〃Undoubtedly。　But　disguised　to　look　like　some　part　of　the　old　factory；　so　that　when　the　intruder　falls　in　and　is　killed；　nobody　would　be　blamed。〃　
　〃How　did　you　spot　it？〃　
　〃Lack　of　boar　tracks。〃　Pendergast　carefully　withdrew　the　stick　and　turned。　〃We　shall　have　to　make　our　way　through　one　of　these　ruined　laboratories。　Take　care：　there　may　still　be　the　odd　bottle　of　nitroglycerin　around；　strategically　placed　to　snag　the　unwary。　We　should　consider　this　the　next　ring　of　security；　Vincent；　we　must　be　both　quiet　and　vigilant。〃　
　They　entered　a　dark　doorway　and　Pendergast　flashed　his　hooded　light　around。　The　floor　was　covered　with　broken　glass；　rusty　pieces　of　metal；　broken　tile；　and　bricks。　Pendergast　paused；　then　signaled　to　D'Agosta　to　back　out。　
　Two　minutes　later　they　were　in　the　concrete　courtyard。　
　〃What　was　wrong？〃　D'Agosta　asked。　
　〃Too　much　broken　glass；　too　evenly　spread；　and　the　glass　was　too　modern　to　be　from　the　original　factory。　A　noise　trap；　with　sensors　ready　to　pick　up　the　telltale　crunch　of　human　feet。　Motion　sensors；　too；　I　expect。〃　
　In　the　greenish　glow　of　his　lantern；　Pendergast's　face　seemed　troubled。　
　〃What　now？〃　
　〃Back　to　the　pit。〃　
　They　circled　back　around　to　the　alleyway　and　Pendergast　crept　forward　alone；　prodding　with　a　stick　until　he'd　located　the　pit。　Then　he　lay　on　his　stomach；　carefully　parted　the　thick　grass　and　vegetation；　and　shone　his　light　into　the　dark　hole。　A　moment　later　he　withdrew；　snapping　off　his　light。　
　〃Wait　here。〃　
　And　then　he　was　gone；　melting　into　the　night。　
　D'Agosta　waited。　Pendergast　hadn't　told　him　to　remain　still　and　silent；　he　hadn't　needed　to。　He　crouched　in　the　inky　darkness；　barely　daring　to　breathe。　Five　minutes　passed。　Left　alone；　the　tension　began　to　take　its　toll。　D'Agosta　could　feel　his　heart　pounding　in　his　chest。　
　Relax。　
　And　then…as　suddenly　and　silently　as　he　had　disappeared…Pendergast　was　back；　a　long　plank　in　his　hands。　He　laid　it　across　the　brushy　opening；　then　turned　to　D'Agosta。　〃Beyond　this；　no　talking　unless　absolutely　necessary。　Follow　my　lead。〃　
　D'Agosta　nodded。　
　They　crossed　the　wobbly　plank；　one　after　the　other。　On　the　far　side；　the　brush　was　thicker；　presenting　a　dark　wall。　Pendergast　moved　forward；　probed　with　his　sensor；　sniffed。　He　briefly　turned　on　the　light；　then　turned　it　off　again。　They　moved　parallel　to　the　brushy　area；　then　veered　into　it　on　what　appeared　to　be　an　animal　trail。　
　The　boars　are　saving　our　ass；　D'Agosta　thought。　
　They　crept　slowly　through　the　thick　brush。　A　brick　wall　loomed　to　their　right：　a　blast　wall；　judging　by　its　massiveness。　In　one　place　it　had　been　knocked　down　by　what　D'Agosta　guessed　was　an　old　explosion。　They　moved　through　this　gap；　still　following　the　boar　trail。　D'Agosta　could　barely　see　Pendergast；　and　could　hear　even　less：　the　man　moved　as　silently　as　a　leopard。　
　The　trail　petered　out　in　a　large　meadow　less　overgrown　than　the　others　they　had　passed。　Pendergast　paused　to　reconnoiter；　motioning　for　D'Agosta　to　stay　back。　At　the　far　end　lay　the　dark　silhouette　of　more　wrecked　buildings　and；　beyond　that；　the　faint　glow　of　light。　
　Pendergast　slipped　a　pack　of　cigarettes　out　of　his　pocket。　Turning　back　toward　D'Agosta；　and　very　carefully　shielding　a　cigarette　with　his　hands；　he　lit　up。　D'Agosta　watched；　astonished。　Pendergast　inhaled　lazily；　turned；　and　blew　out　a　stream　of　smoke。　
　Not　three　feet　in　front　of　them；　the　drifting　smoke　revealed　a　brilliant　beam　of　blue　light：　a　laser。　It　was　set　just　high　enough　to　clear　the　back　of　a　boar。　
　Pendergast　got　down　on　his　stomach　and　began　to　slither　forward　through　the　tall　grass；　motioning　D'Agosta　to　do　likewise。　
　Slowly；　painstakingly；　they　advanced　across　the　field。　Now　and　then　Pendergast　would　take　a　drag　on　the　concealed　cigarette　and　blow　a　stream　of　smoke　overhead；　illuminating　the　laser　beams　that　crisscrossed　the　field。　Dark　woods　and　ruins　surrounded　the　verge　of　the　meadow；　and　it　was　impossible　to　see　where　the　beams　were　ing　from。　When　the　cigarette　went　out；　he　lit　another。　
　In　five　minutes　they　were　across。　Pendergast　ground　out　the　stub　of　cigarette；　rose；　and　moved　at　a　crouch　to　an　empty　door　frame；　withdrawing　his　light　and　directing　it　inside。　The　beam　briefly　illuminated　a　long　passageway；　rooms　fronted　with　metal　bars　facing　each　other　across　the　corridor。　To　D'Agosta　it　looked　almost　like　a　prison。　The　ceilings　had　caved　in；　along　with　some　of　the　walls；　leaving　a　maze　of　broken　masonry；　beams；　and　tile。　
　Pendergast　paused　in　the　doorway　to　wave　a　handheld　meter　of　some　kind；　then　advanced　cautiously。　What　was　left　of　the　edifice　seemed　about　to　collapse；　and　from　time　to　time　D'Agosta　could　hear　the　creaking　and　groaning　of　a　beam　or　the　rattle　of　falling　plaster。　As　they　moved　through　the　vast　crumbling　space；　the　faint　light　ahead　grew　stronger；　ing　in　through　a　row　of　shattered　windows　at　the　far　end。　Reaching　the　windows；　they　cautiously　peered　out。　
　An　astonishing　sight　greeted　D'Agosta's　eyes。　Beyond　the　ruined　building　was　a　double…chain…link　fence；　topped　with　concertina　wire；　enclosing　a　sweeping　lawn　swathed　in　light。　A　new　building　stood　there　behind　trimmed　shrubbery　and　flowers；　a　postmodern　structure　in　glass；　titanium；　and　white　paneling；　glowing　like　a　crystal　in　the　night。　To　the　far　right；　D'Agosta　could　see　a　guardhouse　and　a　gate　in　the　fence。　
　They　moved　away　from　the　window；　and　Pendergast　sat　against　the　wall。　He　seemed　to　be　thinking。　Several　minutes　passed　before　he　roused　himself　and　motioned　D'Agosta　to　follow。　Keeping　low；　they　moved　the　length　of　the　far　wall　and　exited　a　side　door。　Thick　brush　and　gooseberry　bushes　grew　up　to　within　about　ten　yards　of　the　double　fence；　where　the　closely　clipped　lawn　began。　
　They　wormed　their　way　into　the　brush　and　began　crawling　forward。　Then　D'Agosta　felt　Pendergast　freeze。　The　sound　of　voices　was　rapidly　approaching；　along　with　the　probing　of　a　bright　spotlight。　D'Agosta　flattened　himself　in　the　bushes；　hoping　to　God　his　black　outfit　and　face　paint　would　keep　him　invisible。　But　the　voices　were　getting　close；　too　close；　and　they　were　loud；　and　the　light　was　drawing　ever　nearer。　
　　　
　53　
　
　D'Agosta　lay　motionless；　hardly　daring　to　breathe；　while　thebeam　of　the　spotlight　lanced　through　the　leaves　and　vines。　The　voices　were　even　closer　now；　and　he　could　make　out　what　the　men　were　saying。　They　were　American。　There　were　two　of　them；　it　seemed；　and　they　were　walking　slowly　along　the　inner　perimeter　of　the　fence。　He　felt　a　sudden；　almost　irresistible　desire　to　look　up。　But　then　the　brilliant　beam　landed　square　on　his　back；　and　he　went　still　as　death。　The　beam　lingered；　unmoving。　The　men　had　stopped。　There　was　a　scratching　sound；　the　flaring　of　a　match；　followed　by　the　faint　smell　of　cigarette　smoke。　
　〃。　。　。　real　bastard；〃　came　one　of　the　voices。　〃If　it　weren't　for　the　money；　I'd　go　back　to　Brooklyn。〃　
　〃Th