thunter.fearloathinglasvegas-第5章

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shit；　look　at　that　bunch　over　there！　They've　spotted　us！〃
　　〃That's　the　press　table；〃　he　said。　〃That's　where　you　have　to　sign　in　for　our　credentials。　Shit；　let's　get　it　over　with。　You　handle　that；　and　I'll　get　the　room。〃
　　
　　　4。　Rude　Music　And　The　Sound　Of　Many　Shotguns。。。Rude　Vibes　On　A　Saturday　Evening　In　Vegas
　　
　　We　finally　got　into　the　suite　around　dusk；　and　my　attorney　was　immediately　on　the　phone　to　room　service…ordering　four　club　sandwiches；　four　shrimp　cocktails；　a　quart　of　rum　and　nine　fresh　grapefruits。　〃Vitamin　C；〃　he　explained。　〃We'll　need　all　we　can　get。〃　I　agreed。　By　this　time　the　drink　was　beginning　to　cut　the　acid　and　my　hallucinations　were　down　to　a　tolerable　level。　The　room　service　waiter　had　a　vaguely　reptilian　cast　to　his　features；　but　I　was　no　longer　seeing　huge　pterodactyls　lumbering　around　the　corridors　in　pools　of　fresh　blood。　The　only　problem　now　was　a　gigantic　neon　sign　outside　the　window；　blocking　our　view　of　the　mountains…millions　of　colored　balls　running　around　a　very　plicated　track；　strange　symbols　&　filigree；　giving　off　a　loud　hum。
　　〃Look　outside；〃　I　said。
　　〃Why？〃
　　〃There's　a　big　。。　。　machine　in　the　sky；。。。some　kind　of　electric　snake。。ing　straight　at　us。〃
　　〃Shoot　it；〃　said　my　attorney。
　　〃Not　yet；〃　I　said。　〃I　want　to　study　its　habits。〃　He　went　over　to　the　corner　and　began　pulling　on　a　chain　todrapes。　〃Look；〃　he　said；　〃you've　got　to　stop　this　talk　snakes　and　leeches　and　lizards　and　that　stuff。　It's　making　me　sick。〃
　　〃Don't　worry；〃　I　said。
　　〃Worry？　Jesus；　I　almost　went　crazy　down　there　in　the　bar。　They'll　never　let　us　back　in　that　place…not　after　your　scene　at　the　press　table。〃
　　〃What　scene？〃
　　〃You　bastard；〃　he　said。　〃I　left　you　alone　for　three　minutes！　You　scared　the　shit　out　of　those　people！　Waving　that　goddamn　marlin　spike　around　and　yelling　about　reptiles。　You're　lucky　I　came　back　in　time。　They　were　ready　to　call　the　cops。　I　said　you　were　only　drunk　and　that　I　was　taking　you　up　to　your　room　for　a　cold　shower。　Hell；the　only　reason　they　gave　us　the　press　passes　was　to　get　you　out　of　there。〃　He　was　pacing　around　nervously。　〃Jesus；　that　scene　straightened　me　right　out！　I　must　have　some　drugs。　What　have　you　done　with　the　mescaline？〃
　　〃The　kit…bag；〃　I　said。
　　He　opened　the　bag　and　ate　two　pellets　while　I　got　the　tape　machine　going。　〃Maybe　you　should　only　eat　one　of　these；〃　he　said。　〃That　acid's　still　working　on　you。〃　I　agreed。　〃We　have　to　go　out　to　the　track　before　dark；〃　I　said。　〃But　we　have　time　to　watch　the　TV　news。　Let's　carve　up　this　grapefruit　and　make　a　fine　rum　punch；　maybe　toss　in　a　blotter。。。where's　the　car？〃
　　〃We　gave　it　to　somebody　in　the　parking　lot；〃　he　said。　〃I　have　the　ticket　in　my　briefcase。〃
　　〃What's　the　number？　I'll　call　down　and　have　them　wash　the　bastard；　get　rid　of　that　dust　and　grime。〃
　　〃Good　idea；〃　he　said。　But　he　couldn't　find　the　ticket。
　　〃Well；　we're　fucked；〃　I　said。　〃We'll　never　convince　them　to　give　us　that　car　without　proof。〃　He　thought　for　a　moment；　then　picked　up　the　phone　and　asked　for　the　garage。　〃This　is　Doctor　Gonzo　in　eight　fifty；〃　he　said。　〃I　seem　to　have　lost　my　parking　stub　for　that　red　convertible　I　left　with　you；　but　I　want　the　car　washed　and　ready　to　go　in　thirty　minutes。　Can　you　send　up　a　duplicate　stub？。。。What　。　。　。　Oh？。。。Well；　that's　fine。〃　He　hung　up　and　reached　for　the　hash　pipe。　〃No　problem；〃　hesaid。　〃That　man　remembers　my　face。〃
　　〃That's　good；〃　I　said。　〃They'll　probably　have　a　big　net　for　us　when　we　show　up。〃shook　his　head。　〃As　your　attorney；　I　advise　you　not　to　about　me。〃　The　TV　news　was　about　the　Laos　Invasion…a　series　of　horrifying　disasters：　explosions　and　twisted　wreckage；　men　fleeing　in　terror；　Pentagon　generals　babbling　insane　lies。　〃Turn　that　shit　off！〃　screamed　my　attorney　〃Let's　get　out　of　here！〃　A　wise　move。　Moments　after　we　picked　up　the　car　my　attorney　went　into　a　drug　a　and　ran　a　red　light　on　Main　Street　before　I　could　bring　us　under　control。　I　propped　him　up　in　the　passenger　seat　and　took　the　wheel　myself。。。feeling　fine；　extremely　sharp。　All　around　me　in　traffic　I　could　see　people　talking　and　I　wanted　to　hear　what　they　were　saying。　All　of　them。　But　the　shotgun　mike　was　in　the　trunk　and　I　decided　to　leave　it　there。　Las　Vegas　is　not　the　kind　of　town　where　you　want　to　drive　down　Main　Street　aiming　a　black　bazooka…looking　instrument　at　people。Turn　up　the　radio。　Turn　up　the　tape　machine。　Look　into　the　sunset　up　ahead。　Roll　the　windows　down　for　a　better　taste　of　the　cool　desert　wind。　Ah　yes。　This　is　what　it's　all　about。　Total　control　now。　Tooling　along　the　main　drag　on　a　Saturday　night　in　Las　Vegas；　two　good　old　boys　in　a　fireapple…red　convertible。。。stoned；　ripped；　twisted。。。Good　People。
　　Great　God！　What　is　this　terrible　music？
　　〃The　Battle　Hymn　of　Lieutenant　Galley〃：
　　〃。。。as　we　go　marching　on　When　I　reach　my　final　campground；　in　that　land　beyond　the　sun；　and　the　Great　mander　asks　me。。。〃　（What　did　he　ask　you；　Rusty？）　〃Did　you　fight　or　did　you　run？〃　（and　what　did　you　tell　him；　Rusty？）　〃。。。We　responded　to　their　rifle　fire　with　everything　we　had。。。〃
　　
　　No！　I　can't　be　hearing　this！　It　must　be　the　drug。　I　glanced　over　at　my　attorney；　but　he　was　staring　up　at　the　sky；　and　I　could　see　that　his　brain　had　gone　off　to　that　campground　beyond　the　sun。　Thank　christ　he　can't　hear　this　music；　I　thought。　It　would　drive　him　into　a　racist　frenzy。
　　Mercifully；　the　song　ended。　But　my　mood　was　already　shattered。。。and　now　the　fiendish　cactus　juice　took　over；　plunging　me　into　a　sub…human　funk　as　we　suddenly　came　up　on　the　turnoff　to　the　Mint　Gun　Club。　〃One　mile；〃　the　sign　said。　But　even　a　mile　away　I　could　hear　the　crackling　scream　of　two…stroke　bike　engines　winding　out。。。and　then；　ing　closer；　I　heard　another　sound。
　　Shotguns！　No　mistaking　that　fiat　hollow　boom。
　　I　stopped　the　car。　What　the　hell　is　going　on　down　there？　I　rolled　up　all　the　windows　and　eased　down　the　gravel　road；　hunched　low　on　the　wheel。。。until　I　saw　about　a　dozen　figures　pointing　shotguns　into　the　air；　firing　at　regular　intervals。
　　Standing　on　a　slab　of　concrete　out　here　in　the　mesquite…desert；　this　scraggly　little　oasis　in　a　wasteland　north　of　Vegas　。　。　They　were　clustered；　with　their　shotguns；　about　fifty　yards　away　from　a　one…story　concrete/block…house；　half　…　shaded　by　ten　or　twelve　trees　and　surrounded　by　cop…cars；　bike…trailers　and　motorcycles。
　　Of　course。　The　Mint　Gun　Club！　These　lunatics　weren't　letting　anything　interfere　with　their　target　practice。　Here　were　about　a　hundred　bikers；　mechanics　and　assorted　motorsport　types　milling　around　in　the　pit　area；　signing　in　for　tomorrow's　race；　idly　sipping　beers　and　appraising　each　other's　machinery…and　right　in　the　middle　of　all　this；　oblivious　to　everything　but　the　clay　pigeons　flipping　out　of　the　traps　every　five　seconds　or　so；　the　shotgun　people　never　missed　a　beat。
　　Well；　why　not？　I　thought。　The　shooting　provided　a　certain　rhythm…sort　of　a　steady　bass…line…to　the　high…pitched　chaos　of　the　bike　scene。　I　parked　the　car　and　wandered　into　the　crowd；　leaving　my　attorney　in　his　a。
　　I　bought　a　beer　and　watched　the　bikes　checking　in。　Many　Husquavarnas；　high…tuned　Swedish　fireballs。。。also　Yamahas；　Kawasakis；　a　few　500　Triumphs；　Maicos；　&　there　a　CZ；　a　Pursang。。。all　very　fast；　super…light　dfrt　bikes。　No　Hogs　in　this　league；　not　even　a　Sportster。。。that　would　be　like　entering　our　Great　Red　Shark　in　the　dune　buggy　petition。
　　Maybe　I　should　do　that；　I　thought。　Sign　my　attorney　up　as　the　driver；　then　send　him　out　to　the　starting　line　with　a　head　full　of　ether　and　acid。　How　would　they　handle　it？Nobody　would　dare　go　out　on　the　track　with　a　person　that　crazy。　He　would　roll　on　the　first　turn；　and　take　out　four　or　five　dune　buggies…a　Kamikaze　trip。
　　〃What's　the　entry　fee？〃　I　asked　the　desk…man。
　　〃Two　fifty；〃　he　said。
　　〃What　if　I　told　you　I　had　a　Vincent　Black　Shadow？〃He　stared　up　at　me；　saying　nothing；　not　friendly。　I　noticed　he　was　wearing　a　。38　revolver　on　his　belt。　〃Forget　it；〃　I　said。　〃My　driver's　sick；　anyway。〃　His　eyes　narrowed。　〃Your　driver　ain't　the　only　one　sick　around　here；　buddy。〃
　　〃He　has　a　bone　in　his　throat；〃　I　said。
　　〃What？〃　The　man　was　getting　ugly；　but　suddenly　his　eyes　switched　away。　He　was　staring　at　somet