bl.necroscope2-第37部分

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　Krakovitch　nodded。　〃And　afterwards；　I　perhaps　e　with　you？　See　what　kind　problem　you　have？〃
　〃If　you　wish。〃
　Krakovitch　pondered　it。　〃You　tell　me　a　lot；〃　he　said。　〃And　you　solve　some　big　problems　for　me；　maybe。　But　you　not　say　where　exactly　this　thing　in　Romania。〃
　〃If　you　want　to　go　it　alone；〃　said　Kyle；　〃I　will　tell　you。　Not　exactly；　for　I　don't　know　exactly；　but　close　enough　that　you'll　be　able　to　find　it。　Working　together　we　might　do　it　a　lot　faster；　that's　all。〃
　〃Also；〃　Krakovitch　was　still　thinking　it　out；　〃you　not　say　how　you　knowing　all　of　this。　Hard　to　accept　all　I　hear　without　I　know　how　you　know。〃
　〃Harry　Keogh　told　me；〃　said　Kyle。
　〃Keogh　is　dead　a　long　time　now；〃　said　Krakovitch。
　〃Yes；〃　Quint　cut　in；　〃but　he　told　us　everything　right　up　to　the　time　he　died。〃
　〃Ah？〃　Krakovitch　drew　breath　sharply。　〃He　was　that　good？　Such　talent　in　a　telepath　must　be。。。　very　rare。〃
　〃Unique！〃　said　Kyle。
　〃And　your　lot　killed　him！〃　Quint　accused。
　Krakovitch　quickly　turned　to　him。　〃Dragosani　killed　him。　And　he　killed　Dragosani…almost。〃
　It　was　Kyle's　turn　to　gasp。　〃Almost？　Are　you　saying　that　…〃
　Krakovitch　held　up　a　hand。　〃I　finish　the　job　Keogh　started；〃　he　said。　〃I　tell　you　about　that。　But　first：　you　say　Keogh　in　contact　right　until　the　end？〃
　Kyle　wanted　to　say；　he　still　is！　But　that　was　a　secret　best　kept。　〃Yes；〃　he　answered。
　〃Then　you　can　describe　what　happen　that　night？〃
　〃In　detail；〃　said　Kyle。　〃Would　that　satisfy　you　that　the　rest　of　what　I've　said　is　the　truth？〃
　Krakovitch　slowly　nodded。
　〃They　came　out　of　the　night　and　the　falling　snow；〃　Kyle　began。　〃Zombies；　men　dead　for　four　hundred　years；　and　Harry　their　leader。　Bullets　couldn't　stop　them；　for　they　were　already　dead。　Cut　them　down　with　machine…gun　fire；　and　the　bits　kept　right　on　ing。　They　got　into　your　defensive　positions；　your　pillboxes。　They　pulled　the　pins　on　grenades；　fought　with　their　old　rusty　weapons；　their　swords　and　axes。　They　were　Tartars；　fearless；　and　made　more　fearless　by　the　fact　that　they　couldn't　die　twice。　Keogh　wasn't　just　a　telepath；　amongst　his　other　talents；　he　could　also　teleport！　He　did…right　into　Dragosani's　control　room。　He　took　a　couple　of　his　Tartars　with　him。　That　was　where　he　and　Dragosani　had　it　out；　while　in　the　rest　of　the　Chateau　…〃
　〃…In　the　rest　of　the　Chateau；〃　Krakovitch　took　up　the　story；　his　face　deathly　white；　〃it　was。。。　hell！　I　was　there。
　
　I　lived　through　it。　A　few　others　with　me。　The　rest　died　…horribly！　Keogh　was。。。　some　kind　of　monster。　He　could　call　up　the　dead！〃
　〃Not　as　big　a　monster　as　Dragosani；〃　said　Kyle。　〃But　you　were　going　to　tell　me　what　happened　after　Keogh　died。　How　you　finished　off　the　job　he　started。　What　did　you　mean　by　that？〃
　〃Dragosani　was　a　vampire；〃　Krakovitch　nodded；　almost　to　himself。　〃Yes；　you　are　right；　of　course。〃　He　got　a　grip　of　himself。　〃Look；　Sergei　here　was　with　me　when　we　clean　up　what　was　left　of　Dragosani。　Let　me　show　you　what　happen　when　I　remind　him　about　that…and　when　I　tell　to　him　there　are　more　of　them。〃　He　turned　to　his　silent　panion；　spoke　to　him　rapidly　in　Russian。
　They　were　sitting　at　a　scruffy　bar　lit　by　flickering　neon　in　the　airport's　almost　deserted　night　arrivals　lounge。　The　barman　had　gone　off　duty　two　hours　earlier　and　their　glasses　had　stood　empty　ever　since。　Gulharov's　reaction　to　what　Krakovitch　told　him　was　immediate　and　vehement。　He　went　white　and　drew　back　from　his　boss；　almost　falling　from　his　barstool。　And　as　Krakovitch　finished　speaking；　so　he　slammed　his　empty　beer　glass　down　on　the　bar。
　〃Nyet；　nyet！〃　he　gasped　his　denial；　his　face　working　with　a　strange　mixture　of　fury　and　loathing。　And　then；　his　voice　gradually　rising　and　growing　shrill；　he　began　a　diatribe　in　Russian　which　would　soon　attract　attention。
　Krakovitch　gripped　his　arm　and　shook　him；　and　Gulharov's　jabbering　faded　into　silence。　〃Now　I　ask　him　if　we　accepting　your　help；〃　Krakovitch　informed。　He　spoke　to　the　younger　man　again；　and　this　time　Gulharov　nodded　twice；　rapidly；　and　his　colour　began　to　return　to　normal。
　〃Da；　da！〃　he　gasped　emphatically。　His　throat　made　a　dry　rattle　as　he　added　something　else；　unintelligible　to　the　two　Englishmen。
　Krakovitch　smiled　humourlessly。　〃He　says　we　should　accept　all　the　help　we　can　get；〃　he　translated。　〃Because　we　have　to　kill　these　things…finish　them！　And　I　agreeing　with　him。。。〃　Then　he　told　these　strangest　of　allies　all　that　had　happened　at　the　Chateau　Bronnitsy　after　Harry　Keogh's　war。
　When　he'd　finished　there　was　a　long　silence；　broken　at　last　by　Quint。　〃We're　in　agreement；　then？　That　we'll　act　together　on　this？〃
　Krakovitch　nodded。　He　shrugged；　said　simply；　〃No　alternative。　And　no　time　to　waste。〃
　Quint　turned　to　Kyle。　〃But　how　do　we　go　about　it？〃
　〃As　far　as　possible；〃　Kyle　answered；　〃we　go　the　straightforward　way。　We　get　it　all　right　up　front；　without　any　of　the　usual　…；　The　airport　tannoy　broke　in　on　him；　echoing　tinnily　as　some　sleepy；　unseen　announcer　requested　in　English　that　a　Mr　A。　Kyle　please　take　a　telephone　call　at　the　reception　desk。
　Krakovitch's　face　froze。　Who　would　know　that　Kyle　was　here？
　Kyle　stood　up；　shrugged　apologetically。　This　was　very　embarrassing。　It　could　only　be　〃Brown〃；　and　how　to　explain　that　to　Krakovitch？　Quint；　on　the　other　hand；　was　his　usual　ready…for…anything　self。　Calmly　he　said　to　Krakovitch；　〃Well；　you　have　your　little　bloodhound　following　you　about。　And　now　it　would　seem　that　we　have　one　too。〃
　Krakovitch　gave　a　curt；　sour　nod。　And　with　an　edge　of　〃sarcasm；　echoing　Kyle；　he　said；　〃Without　any　of　the　usual；　eh？　Did　you　know　about　this？〃
　〃it's　none　of　our　doing。〃　Quint　wasn't　exactly　truthful。　We're　in　the　same　boat　as　you。〃
　On　Krakovitch's　orders；　Gulharov　acpanied　Kyle　to　the　reception…cum…enquiries　desk；　leaving　。Quint　and　Krakovitch　alone　together。　〃Maybe　this　is　all　in　our　favour；〃　said　Quint。
　〃Eh？〃　Krakovitch　had　turned　sour　again。　〃We　are　followed；　spied　upon；　overheard；　bugged；　and　you　say　is　favourable？〃
　〃I　meant　you　and　Kyle　both　having　shadows；〃　Quint　explained。　〃It　evens　things　up。　And　maybe　we　can　cancel　out　one　with　the　other。〃
　Krakovitch　was　alarmed。　〃I　not　being　party　to　violence！　Anything　happen　to　that　KGB　dog；　is　possible　I　get　the　troubles。〃
　〃But　if　we　could　arrange　for　him　to　be；　er；　detained　for　a　day　or　two？　I　mean；　unharmed；　you　understand　…pletely　unharmed…just　detained。　。
　〃I　not　know。　。
　〃To　give　you　time　to　clear　our　route　into　Romania。　You　know；　visas；　etcetera？　With　a　bit　of　luck　we'll　be　finished　there　in　just　a　day　or　two。〃
　Krakovitch　slowly　nodded。　〃Maybe…but　positive　guarantee；　no　dirty　work。　He　is　KGB…you　say…but　if　true；　then　he's　Russian　too。　And　I　am　Russian。　If　he　vanish　。　。
　Quint　shook　his　head；　grasped　the　other's　thin　elbow。　〃They　both　vanish！〃　he　said。　〃But　only　for　a　few　days。　Then　we'll　be　out　of　here　and　getting　on　with　the　job。〃
　Again　Krakovitch　gave　his　slow　nod。　〃Maybe…if　it　can　be　arranged　safely。〃
　Kyle　and　Gulharov　returned。　Kyle　was　careful。　〃That　was　somebody　called　Brown；〃　he　said。　〃He's　been　watching　us；　apparently。〃　He　looked　at　Krakovitch。　〃He　says　your　KGB　tail　has　traced　us　and　is　on　his　way　here。　By　the　way；　this　KGB　fellow　is　well　known…his　name　is　Theo　Dolgikh。〃
　
　Krakovitch　shook　his　head；　shrugged；　looked　mystified。　〃I　never　heard　of　him。〃
　〃Did　you　get　Brown's　number？〃　Quint　was　eager。　〃I　mean　can　we　contact　him　again？〃
　Kyle　raised　his　eyebrows。　〃Actually；　yes；〃　he　nodded。　He　said　that　if　things　were　getting　sticky；　he　might　be　able　to　help。　Why　do　you　ask？〃
　Quint　grinned　tightly；　said　to　Krakovitch；　〃rade；　it　might　be　a　good　idea　if　you　were　to　listen　carefully。　Since　you're　a　little　concerned　about　this；　you　can　start　working　on　an　alibi。　For　from　this　point　forward　you're　hand　in　hand　with　the　enemy。　Your　only　consolation　is　that　you'll　be　working　against　a　greater　enemy。〃　The　grin　left　his　face；　and　deadly　serious　he　said；　〃OK；　here's　what　I　suggest。　。
　
　On　Saturday　morning　at　8。30　Kyle　phoned　Krakovitch　at　his　and　Gulharov's　hotel。　The　latter　answered　the　call；　grunted；　fetched　Krakovitch　who　came　grumbling　to　the　phone。　He　was　just　out　of　bed；　could　Kyle　call　later？　While　this　brief　show　was　going　on；　downstairs　in　the　Genovese's　lobby；　Quint　was　talking　to　Brown。　At　9。15　Kyle　phoned　Krakovitch　again　and　arranged　a　second　meeting：　they　would　meet　outside　Frankie's　Franchise　in　an　hour's　time　and　go　on　from　there。
　There　was　nothing　new　in　this　arrangement；　it　was　part　of　the　plan　worked　out　the　night　before：　Kyle　suspected　that　the　phone　in　his　room　was　now　bugged　and　he　simply　wanted　to　give　Theo　Dolgikh　plenty　of　advance　notice。　If　Kyle's　phone　wasn't　bugged；　then　Krakovitch's　surely　was；　which　could　only　work　out　the　same。　Anyway；　the　psychic　sixth　senses　of　both　Kyle　and　Quint　were　playing　up　a　little；　which　told　them　that　something　was　brewing。
　Sure　enough；　when　they　left　the　Geriovese　just　before　10。00　A。M。　and　headed　for　the　docks；　they　had　a　tail。
　
　Dolgikh　was　keeping　well　back；　but　it　could　only　be　him。　Kyle　and　Quint　had　to　admire　his　tenacity；　for　despite　his　rough　night　he　was　still　very　much　the　master…spy；　now　his　attire　was　that　of　the　shipyard　worker；　dark…blue　coveralls　and　a　heavy　bag　of　tools；　and　the　blue…black