js&cs.thebridge-第24章

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twenty　at　the　bench；　divided　by　the　time　Micki's　flight　was　due　in　over　the　square　root　of　Gwen's　pregnancy　。。。
　　。。。　equals　a　world　of　shit；　he　thought。　God；　she's　gonna　be　pissed。　He　sighed；　picked　up　the　phone　and　tried　again：　no　answer。
　　Oboy；　he　groaned；　wincing；　then　shrugged　it　off。　He'd　deal　with　it　later。　There　was　certainly　nothing　he　could　do　about　it　now。
　　Gary　hefted　the　deck　and　carted　it　down　the　hall。　The　nattering　buzz　of　the　newsroom　was　tangible　from　all　the　way　down　the　hall。　It　made　his　gut　rumble。　He　stopped　at　the　doorway　to　Studio　A　and　stuck　his　head　in。
　　On　the　home　monitor；　the　closing　credits　for　WWF　Superstars　of　Wrestling　were　rolling　by。　This　Is　the　NFL　was　less　than　three　minutes　away。　John　Bizzano　was　tending　to　the　changeover　with　his　customarily　laconic　aplomb。
　　〃Mornin'；　Gar；〃　he　said；　not　even　looking　up　as　he　cued　up　the　mercial　tapes。　〃What're　you　doin'　here　today？〃
　　〃Beats　me；〃　Gary　grumbled。　〃Misplaced　sense　of　duty；　I　guess。〃
　　〃Don'cha　hate　it　when　that　happens？〃　Bizzano　replied；　presiding　over　the　switch　as　they　cut　from　World　Federation　Wrestling　to　a　five…second　station　ID　and　a　thirty…second　mercial　for　toilet　bowl　cleaner。
　　John　Bizzano　was　a　burly　bear　of　a　man；　with　a　bushy　black　beard　and　no　visible　neck；　but　his　fingers　were　pure　magic。　John　was　the　Iceman；　'PAL's　Amadeus　of　the　digital　cross…fade。　No　task　fazed　him；　he　could　orchestrate　the　mix　of　two　live　feeds　in　different　time　zones；　with　satellite　uplink；　taped　outtakes；　and　special　effects；　and　load　and　cut　to　sixteen　mercials。　Never　bumping　his　blood　pressure　up　a　single　point　on　the　stressometer。
　　Never　blowing　a　fucking　cue。
　　John　was　cool。
　　〃Hmmm；〃　Gary　began；　offhandedly　scanning　the　bank　of　monitors　above　the　console。　〃Anything　weird　happening　here　today？〃
　　〃Hmmph；〃　John　scoffed。　〃Ask　a　stupid　question。〃
　　〃No；　I　mean　weird　weird；〃　Gary　amended。
　　〃Sorry；　bro'；〃　John　replied。　〃It's　dead。〃　He　reclined　back　in　his　chair　and　watched　as　little　cartoon　scrubbing　bubbles　raced　around　a　bathtub　like　it　was　the　Indy　500。　〃Dead；　dead；　deadskies　。。。　〃　he　drawled　in　a　passable　Michael　Keaton…Beetlejuice　growl。　〃Why　do　you　ask？〃
　　Gary　shrugged。　〃I　dunno。　Just　a　feeling；　I　guess；〃　he　said；　and　ambled　off　down　the　hall。
　　
　　A　minute　later；　he　entered　the　newsroom。　〃Here　you　go；〃　he　said。　〃All　better　now　。。。　〃
　　And　stopped。
　　It　was　like　walking　into　range　of　an　enormous　field　generator：　the　police　scanners　all　cranked　and　buzzing；　the　tension　so　charged　it　stood　the　short　hairs　of　his　arms　on　end。　He　clammed　up　as　if　he'd　just　stumbled　onto　a　live　soundstage。
　　But　it　was　only　Laura；　pacing　and　smoking　up　a　miniature　smog　bank。
　　〃Ahem　。。。　〃　Gary　said　cautiously。　〃Deck's　back　up。〃
　　〃Uh；　thanks；〃　she　said；　looking　up　as　though　just　noticing　him。　〃Just　set　it　up；　okay？〃
　　〃You　got　it；〃　Gary　said；　putting　the　deck　back　in　its　place。　So　much　for　gratitude；　he　thought。　News　was　big　on　making　nice　when　they　needed　something…a　quick　fix；　a　rush　edit；　or　some　effects　generation…but　give　them　a　hot　story　and　watch　everything　else　drop　right　off　the　map。
　　A　garbled　transmission　squawked　across　the　police　scanner；　Laura　bolted　to　the　desk；　pen　and　notebook　in　hand。　〃County　to　Adam…sixty；　e　in　please　。。。　Adam…sixty；　please　respond　。。。　〃
　　〃Shit！〃　Laura　hissed。　〃That　little　bastard！〃
　　〃What's　going　on？〃　Gary　asked。　Not　that　she　was　talking　to　him　or　anything。
　　〃What？〃　Laura　started　as　if　she'd　forgotten　he　was　there。　〃Oh；　nothing。〃　She　turned　toward　the　scanner；　figurative　steam　hissing　out　of　her　ears。　〃Kirk　and　Mike　took　off　chasing　down　a　lead　almost　forty　minutes　ago；〃　she　said；　〃and　I　told　them　to　maintain　radio　contact；　but　Kirk　is　such　a　little　goddamned　asshole　sometimes；　and　。。。　〃
　　And　Mike's　such　a　stoner；　Gary　thought。　Mike　hadn't　been　around　too　long；　but　Gary　liked　him　in　a　my…dorky…kid…brother　kind　of　way。　In　some　ways；　Mike　reminded　Gary　of　himself；　a　decade　or　so　ago。　Same　goofy　go…for…broke　resolve；　same　fascination　with　the　toys　and　tools　of　his　trade。
　　Of　course；　Mike　seemed　spacier；　but　then　Gary　wasn't　sure　how　much　of　that　was　the　change　in　himself。　He　could　remember　more　than　once　looking　down　to　find　his　face　wrapped　around　the　pay　end　of　a　bong。
　　〃Well；　if　that's　all　you　need；　then　。。。　〃　Gary　began；　easing　his　way　toward　the　door。
　　And　that　was　when　Kirk　came　busting　in。
　　Now；　ten　years　in　television　news　could　turn　the　most　delicate　stomach　lining　to　boot　leather。　Gary's　had　long　since　made　the　change。　Experience　had　sharpened　his　senses　even　as　it　had　dulled　his　feelings；　he　picked　up　on　the　heady　adrenaline…scent　of　disaster　almost　instantly。　It　mingled　with　another　smell：　the　high　nasal　tang　of　undiluted　ambition。
　　It　didn't　take　a　master　detective　to　win　the　first　round　of　what's　wrong　with　this　picture！　Kirk　Bogarde　was　one　of　the　vainest　sons…of…bitches　on　earth；　but　here　he　was；　showing　up　at　work　spattered　from　head　to　toe　in　mud；　his　hair　all　unmoussed　and　tousled。　Mike's　battered　camera　dangled　from　one　hand；　mud…spattered　as　well。　Mike　was　nowhere　in　sight。
　　Laura　turned；　death　rays　emoting　from　her　eyes　as　Kirk　stumbled　down　the　stairs。　〃Alright！〃　she　yelled。　〃I　want　some　goddamned　explanations　here！〃
　　He　blew　past　Gary　in　a　shot；　muttered　something　incoherent；　and　beelined　for　the　edit　room；　disappearing　around　the　corner。　The　camcorder　carelessly　went　crunch　against　the　doorjamb。　Gary　felt　the　blood　drain　out　of　his　face。　The　signal　in　his　head　was　clanging　like　a　klaxon　horn。　Wrong！　Wrong！　Wrong！　Wrong！
　　〃GODDAMMIT！〃　Laura　bellowed；　storming　across　the　room。　〃Where　the　hell　have　you　been？　Why　didn't　you　maintain　radio　contact？　Where's　Mike　。。。　？〃
　　〃Mike's　dead；〃　he　said　flatly；　still　banging　around。
　　WHAT？！！　Gary　thought。
　　〃WHAT？！！〃　Laura　cried　incredulously。　〃What　。。。　how　。。。　〃　She　stopped；　collected　herself。　〃Kirk；　what　the　hell　are　you　talking　about？〃
　　Kirk's　face　suddenly　appeared　around　the　er；　crazed；　shell…shocked；　and　feral。　He　clutched　a　videocassette　in　his　hand　as　if　it　were　a　piece　of　the　One　True　Cross。　He　waved　it　before　her；　stopping　her　dead。
　　〃C'mere；〃　he　said。　〃I　gotta　show　you　something。〃
　　
　　〃Jesus　God；　this　is　awful；〃　Laura　gasped。　She　and　Kirk　stood　in　front　of　the　monitor；　features　aglow　from　the　screen。　Mike's　chair　was　conspicuously　empty。　Gary　hovered　at　the　doorway；　watching　Kirk　as　if　he　were　some　strange　and　unpleasant　form　of　bacteria。
　　The　tape's　sound　was　turned　mercifully　down。　It　didn't　help。
　　The　visuals　were　bad　enough。
　　〃Did　you　call　the　police？〃　Laura　asked。
　　〃No；〃　Kirk　replied；　his　voice　very　small。
　　On　the　screen；　the　truck　was　ramming　through　the　dead　branches　in　a　burst　of　chaotic　choreography　。。。
　　〃Did　you　call　EMR？〃　she　asked。
　　〃No；〃　Kirk　said；　teeth　clenching。　The　truck；　bouncing　in　and　out　of　the　jangling　frame；　bearing　down　on　the　camera　。。。
　　〃Did　you　call　ANYBODY？！〃　she　asked；　exasperated。
　　〃No！〃　The　truck；　swallowing　everything。
　　〃Are　you　crazy？　Why　the　hell　not？〃
　　〃BECAUSE　I　FORGOT；　OKAY？〃　he　screamed；　leaning　too　far　into　Laura's　face。　〃I　WAS　KINDA　FUCKIN'　BUSY！〃
　　The　screen；　reduced　to　static。
　　〃MIKE　DIED　FOR　THAT　FOOTAGE　。。。　！〃　Kirk　bellowed：　his　nose　almost　touching　Laura's；　her　hair　blowing　back。　The　spark　of　terror　in　Laura's　eyes　was　all　Gary　needed　to　see。
　　〃Whoa；〃　Gary　said；　stepping　closer。　He　liked　Laura　fine；　had　thought　the　world　of　Mike；　was　none　too　fond　of　Kirk。　〃Boy；〃　he　said；　stepping　deftly　between　them；　one　big　hand　ing　up　to　land　in　the　center　of　Kirk's　chest。　Kirk　was　maybe　two　inches　taller。　It　didn't　mean　a　thing。　〃Time　for　you　to　calm　down。〃
　　〃Hey　。。。　！〃　Kirk　began；　already　folding。
　　Gary　shook　his　head　huh…uh；　laid　a　sharp；　flat…palmed　love　thump　on　Kirk's　hollow　breastbone。　It　made　a　resonant　thud；　knocked　him　back　just　a　step。
　　〃I　think　the　question　we're　asking　here；〃　Gary　continued；　〃is　what　did　you　do　about　Mike？〃
　　Kirk's　eyes　flickered　from　side　to　side；　as　if　the　answer　were　written　on　a　cue　card　somewhere　just　outside　of　his　visual　range。
　　〃You　just　fuckin'　left　him　there；　didn't　you？〃　Gary　pr