jefflong.yearzero-第16章
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inning。 〃It's over；〃 he said firmly。
Ochs shook his head。 〃You crossed the line。 There's no going back。 Never。〃
〃Maybe not for you。〃
Ochs faced him。 〃You can be finished with Lydia。 But not with me。 You and I are business partners。〃
〃I'm out；〃 said Nathan Lee。 Already he felt lighter。
〃Don't break my heart； man。〃
〃It's over。〃 He added； 〃And she stays。〃
〃Or else？〃 said Ochs。
Nathan Lee didn't answer。 Out of nowhere； the sky spoke。 Thunder rumbled。 Ochs turned and cursed in surprise。 The distant clouds had assembled in a clot at the mouth of the valley。 It didn't seem possible they could gather so quickly。 Nathan Lee smelled ozone。 A streak of lightning wormed through the dark gut。
〃We have to get down；〃 said Nathan Lee。 〃We can beat the storm if we start down。 Now。〃 Rinchen's prayer grew louder。 Clearly； he linked the storm clouds with this dessicated mountain deity。 Nathan Lee looked over the edge。 Their tent seemed so tiny beside the far glacier。 When he looked back again； Ochs had unstrapped his ice axe。
〃What are you doing？〃 said Nathan Lee。
Ochs slid the shaft behind the mummy's shoulder and pried forward。 Inside the leather flesh； bones snapped。 But the body itself stayed in place。
〃Stop；〃 said Nathan Lee。
Ochs thrust the metal shaft down along her spine。 Something crunched back there； gravel or ice or vertebrae。 He hauled with all his weight。 Still she wouldn't move。
Nathan Lee shoved at him。
Ochs tore the ice axe from along her spine and raised it high。 He swung。
Nathan Lee ducked。 But the axe was aimed at her。 Ochs sank the pick up to the hilt in the woman's collarbone。 He pulled it loose and got off a second stroke； planting it halfway through her neck。 It looked like he was in mortal bat with the corpse。 〃No more；〃 cried Rinchen。
Nathan Lee caught the axe on the third swing。 He jerked it from the man's gloved hand。
〃We earned this；〃 Ochs growled。
〃What？ Earned what？〃 said Nathan Lee。 The vandalized body sat there。 Bone and black meat showed from the two deep gashes。
〃The head；〃 said Ochs。 〃We can take that much。 Give me the axe。〃
Nathan Lee threw the axe as far as it would go。 They could hear the metal clanging and ringing into the depths。 〃Have it your way；〃 Ochs said。
Nathan Lee thought he had surrendered。
Ochs bent。 With his bare hand； he ripped her lower jaw off。 It came away with a crack。 The dried tongue roosted beneath the upper teeth。
〃Now it's over。〃 Ochs shook the horseshoe of bone and teeth and mummified flesh at him。 〃You never had the stomach for it。〃 He stuffed the trophy inside his parka。
Neither of them expected what came next。 Without a word； Rinchen leapt at Ochs； knocking him against the back wall。 Ochs swiped at him。 The old hunter was fearless。 He picked up a rock。
Nathan Lee tried to get out of their way； but the ledge was small and crowded。 As much to defend himself as stop the fight； he threw a fist at the side of Ochs's head。 With his other hand； he dragged Rinchen backward。
Ochs fell over the woman's legs。 He bellowed and raised up。 His nose was mashed to one side。 Blood sopped his whiskers and fanned across the front of his parka。 Then a look of puzzlement replaced his rage。
Nathan Lee looked around。
Rinchen had vanished。
Nathan Lee leaned over the edge。 〃No；〃 he whispered。
Far below； Rinchen was careening down the slope。 A leg broke backward； then an arm； flapping as if the bone had been taken out。 Nathan Lee couldn't take his eyes away。 He was sure the broken puppet doll would go the distance； a vertical half mile。 But four hundred feet down； Rinchen tangled in the handline。 The pink rope cinched around his broken leg and he whipped to a savage halt。 The long rope jerked and gave a bowstring twang。 There he dangled。
Ochs peeked over the rim。 Beneath the sunburn scabs and blood； his face was rigid with terror。 〃You did the right thing；〃 he gasped。
〃What？〃 said Nathan Lee。
〃He was trying to kill me。〃
〃He was trying to stop you。〃
〃He's dead；〃 Ochs said。
But Rinchen wasn't。 That was the terrible thing。 The man moved。 He lifted his head。 He raised an arm； then went limp again。
Nathan Lee hooked his pack with one hand。
〃Now what？〃 said Ochs。
〃He's still alive。〃
Rinchen thrashed briefly on the stretched line； then lapsed to stillness again。
〃You killed him；〃 said Ochs。 〃We can't change that。〃
Nathan Lee heard the cunning at work。 He felt a pull deep in his bowels。 〃The man fell；〃 he said more evenly。
〃Sure；〃 said Ochs。
〃It was an accident。 You know that。〃
〃No one will ever miss him。 Why would I tell anyone？〃
Nathan Lee grew alarmed。 Ochs was blackmailing him。 He steadied himself。 Time for all that later。 There was an injured man down there。 Nathan Lee balanced on the edge； peering over。 〃I'm going down after him。〃
〃And then what？〃
〃And then we're done；〃 said Nathan Lee。
〃How's that。〃
〃I'm out。 Leave me out； or I'll expose you。 Do you hear？ It's over。〃
Softly； Ochs said； 〃I hear。〃
Nathan Lee didn't register the cleaving in Ochs's voice。 He barely felt the slight touch at his back。 Suddenly he was just falling。
It was not like other times when he had fallen。 On a cliff you dropped through open space； maybe barking the stone a time or two before the rope caught you。 There was no rope this time； no free fall。 The slope was pitched at an angle。 Rocky slash and patches of ice flashed up at him。
Nathan Lee slid。 He hit an outcrop； slowed； reached for purchase； then pinballed against a second outcrop and accelerated on a slide of ice。 His only hope was to keep his feet under him； to stay face outward。 It was like trying to run at terminal velocity。 He tried grabbing for holds； and they only dissolved in his hands。 He cartwheeled。 A gout of his own blood spun in the air。
He felt the blows at a distance。 He wondered how long it would take to lose consciousness； then realized it wasn't going to be that easy。 Those deafening cracks of thunder weren't thunder； but his helmet clashing and banging。 He was going to be a witness to his own execution。
The pain started ing through。 It wasn't specific to any one limb or rib； more like bolts of lightning filling his skin。 In his mind； he saw himself breaking to pieces like Humpty Dumpty。All the king's horses； all the king's men。 。。。He heard a voice。 It came through the helter…skelter。 Grace。 Singsong。Sweet dreams。 Don't let the bedbugs bite。
He reached a long funnel of ice。 This time； instead of clawing frantically at the ice； he used it。 With a palm here； a heel there； he could steer himself； however minutely。
Off to the left； bare instants lower； lay a band of grey rock。 Beyond that； the slope fell away。 There were no more chances after this。
He gathered his strength。 He pushed with his hands and catapulted face out toward the dike of scree。 He flew； arms wide； sacrificing himself to wild luck。
The rocks struck hard。 They tore at him。 He opened himself to their talons。Hold me； he prayed。
They did。 He came to a halt。
In the sudden tranquility； arms wide； he felt pinned to the mountain。 His ears rang。 He looked； and the hungry glacier still waited below； its jaws wide open。
HE PASSED OUTand revived in waves。 The earth seemed to rise and sink beneath his back。 He didn't move。
Nathan Lee wasn't quite sure if he was alive or not。 There were reasons to believe he might have died。 For one thing； the limbo sky was dropping ash。 Squinting； he realized they were snowflakes。
Next time Nathan Lee opened his eyes； he saw Ochs in the long distance； descending the switchbacks at a brisk pace。 He'd gotten himself to safer ground and was practically trotting through the storm。 Nathan Lee didn't call out。 The man had already done his best to kill him once。 After a few minutes Ochs vanished down a rise。
The horizon dimmed。 Rock and ice； heaven and earth； everything was merging into one。 The snow began to stick。 He opened his mouth and it seared his tongue。 The melt ran from his face like teardrops。 Body heat； he prehended。 He was alive。
At last he made the effort to raise one arm。 It lifted slowly。 The glove had skinned off。 Some of the skin； too。 He brought it closer to his face and s
