thunter.fearloathinglasvegas-第35章

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bar。
　　I　srugged。　〃That's　not　me；〃　I　said。　〃That's　a　guy　named　Thompson。　He　works　for　Rolling　Stone。。。a　really　vicious；　crazy　kind　of　person。　And　that　guy　sitting　next　to　him　is　a　hit　man　for　the　Mafia　in　Hollywood。　Shit；　have　you　studied　this　photograph？　What　kind　of　a　maniac　would　roam　around　wearing　one　black　glove。〃
　　〃We　noticed　that。〃　They　said。　〃Where　is　he　now？〃　I　shrugged。　〃He　moves　around　pretty　fast。　〃　I　said。　His　oerders　e　out　of　St。　Loius。〃　They　stared　at　me。　〃How　do　you　know　all　this　stuff？〃　I　showed　them　my　gold　PBA　badge；　flashing　it　quickly　with　my　back　to　the　crowd。　〃Act　natural；〃　I　whispered。　〃Don't　put　me　on　the　spot。〃　They　were　still　standing　there　when　I　drove　off　in　the　Whale。　The　geek　had　brought　it　up　at　exactly　the　right　moment。　I　gave　him　a　five…dollar　bill　and　hit　the　street　with　a　stylish　screech　of　rubber。
　　It　was　all　ovet　now。　I　drove　across　to　the　Flamingo　and　loaded　all　my　luggage　into　the　car。　I　tried　to　put　the　top　up；　for　privacy；　but　something　was　wrong　with　the　motor。　The　generator　light　had　been　on；　fiery　red；　ever　since　I'd　driven　the　thing　into　Lake　Mead　on　a　water　test。　A　quick　run　along　the　dashboard　disclosed　that　every　circuit　in　the　car　was　to　tally　fucked。　Nothing　worked。　Not　even　the　headlights…and　when　I　hit　the　air　conditioner　button　I　heard　a　nasty　explosion　under　the　hood。
　　The　top　was　jammed　about　halfway　up；　but　I　decided　to　try　for　the　airport。　If　this　goddamn　junker　wouldn't　run　right；　I　could　always　abandon　it　and　call　a　cab。　To　hell　with　this　gar　bage　from　Detroit。　They　shouldn't　be　allowed　to　get　away　with　it。
　　The　sun　was　ing　up　when　I　got　to　the　airport。　I　left　the　Whale　in　the　VIP　parking　lot。　A　kid　about　fifteen　years　old　checked　it　in；　but　I　refused　to　answer　his　questions。　He　was　very　excited　about　the　overall　condition　of　the　vehicle。　〃Holy　God！〃　he　kept　shouting。　〃How　did　this　happen？〃　He　kept　moving　around　the　car；　pointing　at　various　dents；　rips　and　crushed　places。
　　〃I　know；〃　I　said。　〃They　beat　the　shit　out　of　it。　This　is　a　ter　rible　goddamn　town　for　driving　around　in　convertibles。　The　worst　time　was　right　out　on　the　Boulevard　in　front　of　the　Sahara。　You　know　that　corner　where　all　the　junkies　hang　out？　Jesus；　I　couldn't　believe　it　when　they　all　went　crazy　at　once。〃　The　kid　was　none　too　bright。　His　face　had　gone　blank　early　on；　and　now　heseemed　in　a　state　of　mute　fear。
　　〃Don't　worry；〃　I　said。　〃I'm　insured。〃　I　showed　him　the　contract；　pointin　to　the　small…print　clause　where　it　said　I　was　insured　against　ALL　damages；　for　only　two　dollars　a　day。
　　The　kid　was　still　nodding　when　I　fled。　I　felt　a　bit　guilty　about　leaving　him　to　deal　with　the　car。　There　was　no　way　explain　the　massive　damage。　It　was　finished；　a　wreck；　totaled　out。　Under　normal　circumstances　I　would　have　been　seized　and　arrested　when　l　tried　to　turn　it　in。。。but　not　at　this　of　the　morning；　with　only　this　kid　to　deal　with。　I　was；　all；　a　〃VIP。〃　Otherwise；　they　would　never　have　chartered　the　car　to　me　in　the　first　place。。。。。
　　Let　the　chickens　e　home　to　roost；　I　thought　as　I　hurried　into　the　airport。　It　was　still　too　early　to　act　normal；　so　I　hunkered　down　in　the　coffee　shop　behind　the　LA。　Times。　Some　where　down　the　corridor　a　jukebox　was　playing　〃One　Toke　Over　the　Line。〃　I　listened　for　a　moment；　but　my　nerve　ends　no　longer　receptive。　The　only　song　I　might　have　been　to　relate　to；　at　that　point；　was　〃Mister　Tambourine　。〃　Or　maybe　〃Memphis　Blues　Again。。。〃Aww；　mama。。　。　can　this　really。。。　be　the　end。。。？〃　My　plane　left　at　eight；　which　meant　I　had　two　hours　to　kill。　Feeling　desperately　visible。　There　was　no　doubt　in　my　mind　they　were　looking　for　me；　the　net　was　closing　down。。。only　a　matter　of　time　before　they　ran　me　down　like　some　kind　of　rabid　animal。
　　I　checked　all　my　luggage　through　the　chute。　All　but　the　satchel；　which　was　full　of　drugs。　And　the　。357。　Did　they　have　the　goddamn　metal　detector　system　in　this　airport？　I　strolled　around　to　the　boarding　gate　and　tried　to　look　casual　while　I　cased　the　area　for　black　boxes。　None　were　visible。　I　to　take　the　chance…just　zip　through　the　gate　with　a　big　smile　on　my　face；　mumbling　distractedly　about　〃a　bad　slump　in　the　hardware　market。　。。
　　Just　another　failed　salesman　checking　out。　Blame　it　all　on　that　bastard　Nixon。　Indeed。　I　decided　it　might　look　more　natural　if　I　found　somebody　to　chat　with…a　routine　line　of　small　talk；　between　passengers：　〃Hy're　yew；　fella！　I　huess　you're　probably　wonderin'　what　make　sme　sweat　like　this？　Yeah！　Well；　god　damn；　man！　Have　you　read　the　newspapers　today？。。。You'd　never　believe　what　those　dirty　bastards　have　doen　this　time！〃　I　figured　that　would　cover　it。。。But　I　could'nt　find　anybody　who　looked　safe　enough　to　talk　to。　The　whole　airport　was　full　of　people　who　looked　like　they　might　go　for　my　float　ing　rib　if　I　made　a　false　move。　I　felt　very　paranoid。。。like　some　kind　of　criminal　skullsucker　on　the　lam　from　Scotland　Yard。
　　Everywhere　I　looked　I　saw　Pigs。。。because　on　that　morn　ing　the　Las　Vegas　airport　was　full　of　cops：　the　mass　exodus　after　the　climax　of　the　District　Attorneys'　Conference。　When　I　finally　put　this　together　I　felt　much　better　about　the　health　of　my　own　brain
　　
　　EVERYTHING　seems　to　be　ready。
　　Are　you　Ready？
　　Ready？
　　
　　Well；　why　not？　This　is　a　heavy　day　in　Vegas。　A　thousand　cops　are　checking　out　of　town；　scurrying　through　the　airport　in　groups　of　three　and　six。　They　are　heading　back　home。　The　drug　conference　is　finished。　The　Airport　Lounge　is　humming　with　mean　talk　and　bodies。　Short　beers　and　Bloody　Marys；　here　and　there　a　victim　of　chest　rash　rubbing　Mexsana　under　the　armpit　straps　of　a　thick　shoulder　holster。　No　point　hiding　this　business　any　longer。　Let　it　all　hang　out。。。or　at　least　get　some　air　to　it。
　　Yes；　thank　you　kindly。　。　I　think　I　busted　a　button　on　my　trousers。　I　hope　they　don't　fall　down。　You　don't　want　my　trousers　to　fall　down　now；　do　you？
　　Fuck　no。　Not　today。　N　ot　right　here　in　the　middle　of　the　Las　Vegas　airport；　on　this　sweaty　…hard　morning　at　the　tail　end　of　this　mass　meeting　on　the　Narcotics　and　Dangerous　Drugs。
　　〃When　the　train。。e　in　the　station。。。I　looked　her　in　the　eye。。。　〃　Grim　music　in　the　airport。　〃Yes；　it's　hard　to　tell　it''s　hard　to　tell；　when　all　your　love's　in　Vain。。。〃
　　
　　Every　now　and　then　you　run　up　on　one　of　those　days　when　everythings　in　vain　。　。　。　a　stone　bummer　from　start　to　finish；　if　you　know　what's　good　for　you；　on　days　like　these　you　sortof　hunker　down　in　a　safe　corner　and　watch。　Maybe　think　a　bit。　Lay　back　on　a　cheap　wooden　chair；　screened　off　from　traffic；　and　shrewdly　rip　the　poptops　out　of　five　or　eight　Budweisers。。。smoke　off　a　pack　of　King　Marlboros；　eat　a　nut…butter　sandwich；　and　finally　toward　evening　gobble　a　wad　of　good　mescaline　。　。。　then　drive　out；　later　on；　to　the　beach。　Get　out　in　the　surf；　in　the　fog；　and　slosh　along　on　numb…frozen　feet　about　ten　yards　out　from　the　tideline。。。　stomping　through　tribes　of　wild　sandpeckers。。。riderunners；　whorehoppers；　stupid　little　birds　and　crabs　and　saltsuckershere　and　there　a　big　pervert　or　woolly　reject　gimp　off　in　the　distance；　wandering　alone　by　themselves　behind　dunes　and　driftwood。。。。
　　These　are　the　ones　you　will　never　be　properly　introduced　to…at　least　not　if　your　luck　holds。　But　the　beach　is　less　plicated　than　a　boiling　fast　morning　in　the　Las　Vegas　airport。
　　I　felt　very　obvious。　Amphetamine　psychosis？　Paranoid　dementia？…What　is　it？　My　Argentine　luggage？　This　crippled；　walk　that　once　made　me　a　reject　from　the　Naval　ROTC？〃　Indeed。　This　man　will　never　be　able　to　walk　straight；　Captain！　Because　one　leg　is　longer　than　the　other。。。。Not　much。　Three　eighths　of　an　inch　or　so；　which　counted　out　to　about　two　eights　more　than　the　Captain　could　tolerate。
　　So　we　parted　pany。　He　accepted　a　mand　in　the　South　China　Sea；　and　I　became　a　Doctor　of　Gonzo　Journalism。。。andmany　years　later；　killing　time　in　the　Las　Vegas　airport　this　terrible　morning；　I　picked　up　a　newspaper　and　saw　where　teh　Captain　had　fucked　up　very　badly：　Ship　mander　Butchered　by　Natives　After　〃Accidental〃　Assault　on　Guam。
　　（AOP）…Aboard　the　USS。　Crazy　Horse：　Somewhere　in　the　Pactfic　（Sept。　25）…The　entire　3485…man　crew　of　this　newest　American　aircraft　carrier　is　in　violent　mourning　today；　after　fi