ericlustbader.the ninja-第59章

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no　good　expecting　a　cop　to　pop　up　here。　But　immediately　he　saw　the　man　stalking　him　along　the　periphery　of　the　crowd　as；　spying　Vincent；　he　leapt　forward。
　Vincent　whirled；　darting　back　into　the　thick　of　the　throng　on　the　sidewalk。　He　began　to　run　again　but　this；　he　knew；　would　only　spread　the　toxin　more　quickly。　Already　his　heart　was　pounding　furiously　and　the　tips　of　his　fingers　felt　numb：　a　bad　sign。　Yet　since　the　man　was　pursuing　him　still；　perhaps　there　was　a　chance　that　he　had　not　inhaled　a　sufficient　amount　of　the　poison。
　Death　was　very　close　now；　Vincent　knew。　It　rode　his　shoulder　like　an　expectant　predator。　He　realized　now　just　how　much　he　wanted　to　live；　how　strong　the　drive　still　was　inside　him。　This　knowledge　came　as　a　revelation　and　it　buoyed　him　for　a　time。　He　would　need　all　his　wits　to　overe　this　demon；　he　knew。　He　was　overmatched；　but　he　put　this　thought　out　of　his　mind　as　he　ran　on　and　on　into　the　spangled　night。
　He　cut　to　his　right；　stumbling　off　the　kerb；　but　again　he　was　balked　by　the　man。　No　good。　A　cab　was　definitely　out。
　He　coughed　as　he　ran　now；　trying　to　retch。　He　felt　as　if　he　could　not　get　enough　oxygen　into　his　system。　His　arms　felt　weak　and　he　had　to　force　his　legs　to　work。　He　heard　a　harsh　shout　from　behind　him　and　the　sound　of　running　feet。　He　pushed　his　way　frantically　through　the　crowd；　his　mind　whirling；　trying　to　alight　on　some　。。。　The　mist！　What　a　fool　he'd　been！　It　was　being　absorbed　through　the　pores　of　his　skin　…　the　burning　should　have　told　him。　Inhaling　was　only　peripheral。
　Have　to　find　。。。　He　was　aware　of　how　terribly　exposed　he　was　here　on　this　mean　street　where　no　help　would　be　forthing。　A　restaurant　was　no　good：　too　well　lighted。　He　needed　some　dark　place。
　It　was　right　in　front　of　him。　He　put　on　a　last　burst　of　speed；　feeling　his　heart　pounding　painfully　as　if　it　were　being　overworked。
　He　skidded　to　a　stop　in　front　of　a　movie　theatre。　In　front　was　a　billboard　dominated　by　a　cut…out　of　a　blonde　with　large　breasts。　Beneath　it；　a　blown…up　newspaper　review　of　the　film。　'An　erection！'　proclaimed　a　banner。　'Highest　rated！'　Vincent　shoved　a　man　away　from　the　ticket　booth；　threw　a　bill　at　the　man　inside　the　booth。　He　pushed　through　the　turnstile；　ignoring　the　shouts。　'Hey；　mister！　Wait　I　Your　change！'
　Into　the　darkness；　smelling　of　mildew；　stale　sweat　and　dried　sperm。　Hazy　images　moved　on　the　screen　and　there　was　the　sound　of　heavy　breathing；　magnified　by　the　speakers；　amplified　throughout　the　theatre。　There　was　a　liquid　sound　and　a　moaning。
　Vincent　blinked　several　times；　adjusting　to　the　low　light。　He　looked　for　the　men's　room；　found　that　it　was　two　flights　up；　past　the　balcony。　He　didn't　think　he　could　make　it。
　He　moved　cautiously　along　the　rear　aisle；　past　two　people　standing　watching　the　screen。　He　came　upon　a　bank　of　machines。　Popcorn。　Candy。　Soda。
　He　dug　in　his　trouser　pocket；　fumbled　out　two　quarters。　He　rolled　them　into　the　slot；　stabbed　a　button　at　random。　He　waited　impatiently　while　the　waxed…paper　cup　clattered　down；　followed　by　the　soda　and　the　syrup。　He　stuck　his　hand　in；　caught　the　shaved　ice　as　it　came　down　the　vertical　chute。　He　rubbed　the　ice　over　his　face。　He　blinked　and　blinked；　feeling　the　cold　water　running　into　his　eyes；　over　his　face。　Perhaps　he　had　got　to　it　in　time。　The　ice　was　like　a　soothing　balm；　diminishing　the　pain。　There　was　a　chance。　The　cab　had　been　air…conditioned；　the　windows　closed；　but　he　had　got　out　very　quickly。　He　tried　to　judge　the　overall　time；　gave　it　up　as　hopeless。
　He　turned　his　head　to　look　at　the　doorway。　Someone　came　in；　someone　went　out。　They　were　shadows　to　him。　Was　his　pursuer　here　already？　There　was　no　way　of　knowing　and　here；　in　the　rear；　he　was　a　perfect　target。
　He　turned　into　the　theatre　proper；　went　quickly　down　the　aisle。　His　vision　had　seemed　to　clear　and　he　could　see　men　sitting　as　still　as　statues；　staring　at　the　screen　filled　with　writhing　bodies。
　He　slipped　into　a　row　midway　down；　moving　to　his　right　all　the　way　over　until　he　was　wedged　against　one　wall。　In　the　darkest　part　of　the　theatre　he　sat　down。　The　floor　was　sticky；　the　place　smelled　of　accelerated　age。　His　head　swivelled　around。　People　were　ing　and　going。　Flickering　light　played　over　their　faces。　He　turned　back。
　His　hands　had　begun　to　shake　but　this　might　be　because　of　the　increased　adrenalin。　His　mouth　was　dry　and　his　breathing　raspy。　Otherwise；　he　felt　better　than　he　had　before。　Obviously　the　dose　had　been　less　than　lethal。　He　tried　to　〃lax；　breathing　deeply；　but　his　side　hurt　intermittently；　perhaps　from　the　frantic　running。　Meanwhile；　his　mind　was　going　over　the　alternatives。　There　didn't　seem　to　be　many。　Having　e　in　here；　he　was　now　quite　effectively　trapped。　The　ninja；　too；　was　here　somewhere。　If　he　made　a　move　to　leave；　he　would　be　dead　before　he　got　half　way　to　the　door。
　He　would　have　to　fight。　It　was　the　only　alternative。　He　was　not　a　sensei　or　a　haragei　adept　as　Nicholas　was　…　or　Terry　had　been。　He　turned　his　mind　away　from　Terry：　that　way　led　to　despair；　if　Terry　had　been　defeated　。。。
　But　Terry　had　been　surprised　and　then　there　had　been　Ei　to　think　of。　Vincent　was　forewarned。　He　needed　time　and　he　was　getting　it；　he　was　feeling　better　every　moment。　Think　I　he　screamed　at　himself。　You've　got　to　get　out　of　this　somehow。
　There　were　people　in　back　of　him；　to　his　left。　Shadows　moving　in　the　aisle；　up　and　down；　bobbing；　rustling　as　people　sat　down　or　got　up。　Someone　slid　into　his　row；　one　seat　away　from　him；　and　he　stiffened；　his　eyes　sliding　that　way　so　that　he　could　see　。。。　a　youngish　businessman；　clean…cut；　Brooks　Brothers　suit；　thin　leather　attache　case　on　his　knees。　A　model　businessman。
　Vincent　removed　his　attention；　went　back　to　thinking。　Something　touched　his　arm　and　he　jumped；　turned　his　head。　It　was　the　businessman；　clean…shaven；　reddened　cheeks；　lived　just　over　the　river　along　the　Jersey　Palisades　perhaps　with　the　wife　and　two　kids；　the　dog　and　the　two　cars。　The　man　was　tapping　him　gently　on　the　arm。　He　leaned　forward；　his　eyes　searching　Vincent's。　He　whispered　something　but　Vincent　could　not　hear　him　over　the　amplified　moaning。　He　leaned　over；　across　the　vacant　。。cat　between　them。　'Want　to　move　over　here　next　to　me？'　the　man　said　hopefully。
　Vincent　stared　at　him　dumbfounded　for　a　full　minute　until　he　shook　his　head　violently　from　side　to　side；　withdrew。
　He　wiped　at　his　forehead　and　his　fingers　came　away　wet。　But　he　knew　what　he　had　to　do　now　and　all　he　could　do　was　wait。
　There　was　a　movement　along　the　aisle；　a　shadow　had　stopped　at　the　end　of　his　row。　Vincent　turned　his　head　slightly　but　all　he　saw　was　a　black　blotch。　The　businessman　who　had　propositioned　him　was　moving　slightly　in　his　seat；　his　hands　invisible　under　the　shield　of　his　attache　case；　it　was　too　warm　to　carry　a　raincoat。
　Someone　was　ing　into　Vincent's　row　now　and　he　held　his　breath；　his　heart　pumping　furiously。　Was　it　the　ninja？　The　figure　moved　slowly；　approaching　Vincent。　He　looked　up。　The　man　was　just　on　the　other　side　of　the　engrossed　businessman。　He　saw　a　glint　of　reflected　light　from　the　screen　dance　off　the　man's　eyes。　It　was　the　ninja。　He　bent；　said　something　to　the　businessman；　who　moved　his　legs；　not　taking　his　eyes　off　the　screen。
　He　was　ing。　Vincent　prepared　himself　for　what　he　had　to　do。　It　would　take　speed　and　strength　and　…　Now　the　man　was　at　the　seat　next　to　Vincent's。　He　did　not　sit　down。
　Now　was　the　time。　Now！
　Vincent　moved。　Nothing　happened。　His　eyes　bulged　in　disbelief。　He　was　paralysed。
　He　struggled　to　lift　his　hands　but　his　arms　were　immobile；　as　if　they　had　been　encased　in　lead　while　his　attention　had　been　elsewhere。　He　tried　to　stand　up　but　there　was　no　feeling　in　his　legs。　No　feet；　no　ankles；　nothing。　Then　he　knew　with　a　swift　unalterable　certainty　that　the　spray　had　never　been　meant　to　kill　him　but　merely　to　render　him　motionless。
　The　shadow　loomed　over　him；　blotting　out　all　light。　He　heard　animal　cries；　lustful　sobs；　he　felt　the　movement　over　him　with　exaggerated　slowness；　watching　calmly　and　detachedly　as　the　ninja　leaned　over　him　and　gently　put　one　forearm　against　his　left　clavicle。　He　felt　the　pressure　and　his　eyes　blinked。　Perhaps　the　tip　of　one　finger　twitched　where　it　lay　on　the　wooden