bl.necroscope2-第4部分

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；　they　formed　barbs；　hooked　themselves　into　Dragosani's　flesh。　One　of　the　tentacles　found　his　chest　cavity；　it　thickened　rapidly　to　the　diameter　of　a　man's　wrist；　the　rest　dissolved　their　barbs；　released　their　holds；　withdrew　and　followed　the　main　branch　into　him。　With　a　final　sucking　plop　the　entire　organism　drew　itself　down　into　Dragosani's　body。　His　trunk　began　to　heave　and　throb　where　it　lay　in　the　cabinet。
　While　all　of　this　occurred；　so　Gulharov　had　danced　away　and　clambered　up　onto　the　desk。　He　was　mouthing　half…inarticulate　obscenities；　shrieking　like　a　woman。　And　he　was　pointing　at　something。　Krakovitch；　almost　numb　with　shock　and　horror；　saw　the　leech…creature's　flat　cobra　head　vibrating　on　the　floor；　flipping　and　flopping　like　a　stranded　flatfish。　He　gave　a　cry　of　loathing；　began　to　panic；　then　gripped　himself　tight　and　drove　the　panic　out。　Finally　he　slammed　the　cabinet　door　shut　and　shot　the　bolt。
　He　grabbed　a　metal　drawer　from　the　cabinet's　scattered　guts；　yelled：　〃Well；　help　me！〃
　Gulharov　got　down　off　the　desk。　He　still　had　the　stake；　was　hanging　on　to　it　like　grim　death。　Prodding　the　flopping　head；　and　cursing　all　the　time　under　his　breath；　finally　he　juggled　the　thing　into　Krakovitch's　drawer。　Krakovitch　slammed　a　section　of　shelving　down　on　top　of　it；　and　Gulharov　brought　a　pair　of　heavy　ledgers　to　put　on　top　of　that。　Both　cabinet　and　drawer　shuddered　and　shook　for　a　few　seconds　more；　then　were　still。
　Like　a　pair　of　ghosts　Krakovitch　and　Gulharov　faced　each　other；　both　of　them　panting；　white　as　sheets　and　round…eyed。　Then　Krakovitch　snarled；　reached　out　and　slapped　the　other's　face。　〃Bodyguard？〃　he　shouted。　〃Bloody　bodyguard？〃　He　slapped　him　again；　hard。　〃Bloody　hell！
　〃I。。。　I'm　sorry。　I　didn't　know　what　to。。。〃　Gulharov　was　trembling　like　a　leaf；　looked　like　he　was　going　to　faint。
　Krakovitch　calmed　down。　He　could　hardly　blame　him。　〃It's　all　right；〃　he　said。　〃It's　all　right。　Now　listen：　we'll　burn　the　head　up　here。　We'll　do　that　first；　right　now。　Go　quickly；　fetch　Avgas。〃
　Staggering　a　little；　Gulharov　went。
　He　was　back　in　record　time；　carrying　a　jerrycan。　They　slid　the　shelving　over　the　drawer　open　a　crack；　poured　Avgas。　There　was　no　movement　from　inside　the　drawer。　〃Enough！〃　said　Krakovitch。　〃Any　more　and　there'll　be　one　hell　of　an　explosion。　Now　then；　help　me　drag　the　cabinet　through　into　the　other　room。〃　In　a　moment　they　were　back；　and　Krakovitch　tipped　out　the　drawers　of　Borowitz's　desk。　He　found　what　he　was　looking　for：　a　small　ball　of　string。　He　snapped　off　a　ten　foot　length；　soaked　it　in　Avgas；　carefully　dangled　one　end　through　the　crack　into　the　drawer。　Then　he　laid　the　string　out　on　the　floor　in　a　straight　line　towards　the　door　and　took　out　Gulharov's　matches。　They　shielded　their　eyes　as　he　lit　the　fuse。
　Blue　fire　raced　across　the　floor；　leaped　into　the　drawer。　There　was　a　dull　thump　and　shelving；　ledgers　and　all　hit　the　ceiling；　then　fell　back　to　the　floor。　The　metal　drawer　was　an　inferno；　in　which　the　flat　snake…head　danced　and　skittered…but　not　for　long。　As　the　drawer　began　to　buckle　under　the　heat　and　the　carpet　about　it　blackened　and　burst　into　flames；　so　the　thing　in　the　drawer　puffed　up；　and　split　open　and　quickly　became　liquescent。　And　then　it；　too；　burned。　But　Krakovitch　and　Gulharov　waited　a　full　minute　more　before　they　put　out　the　fire。
　Krakovitch　gave　a　curt　nod。　〃Well；　at　least　we　know　the　thing　burns！〃　he　said。　〃It　was　probably　dead　anyway；　but　by　my　books　when　a　thing's　dead　it　lies　still！〃
　They　bumped　the　cabinet　downstairs；　two　flights　to　the　ground　floor；　then　out　through　the　battle…torn　building　into　the　grounds。　Krakovitch　stood　guard　on　it　while　Gulharov　went　back　for　the　Avgas。　When　he　returned；　Krakovitch　said；　This　will　be　the　tricky　bit。　First　we　pour　some　of　this　stuff　around　the　cabinet。　That　way；　when　we　open　it；　if　what's　inside　is…active…we　just　jump　back　out　of　range　and　toss　a　match。　Until　it's　quiet。　And　so　on。。。。
　Gulharov　seemed　uncertain；　but　he　was　far　more　alert　now。
　They　poured　Avgas　on　to　and　around　the　cabinet；　and　then　Gulharov　got　well　back　out　of　it。　Krakovitch　slid　back　the　bolt；　threw　the　door　clangingly　open。　Inside；　Dragosani　stared　into　the　sky。　His　chest　stirred　a　little；　but　that　was　all。　As　Krakovitch　began　to　pour　Avgas　carefully　into　the　cabinet　near　Dragosani's　feet；　Gulharov　came　forward。　〃Don't　use　too　much；〃　it　was　the　Sergeant's　turn　to　caution。　〃Or　it　will　go　off　like　a　bomb！〃When　the　fuel　swirled　almost　an　inch　deep　around　Dragosani's　prone　form；　evaporating　furiously；　the　dead　man's　chest　gave　another　sudden　lurch。　Krakovitch　stopped　pouring；　stared；　backed　off　a　little。　Outside　the　circle　of　danger；　Gulharov　stood　with　a　match　ready　to　strike。　A　slickly　shining；　grey…green　tendril　sprouted　upwards　from　Dragosani's　chest。　Its　tip　formed　a　knob　as　big　as　a　fist；　which　in　turn　formed　an　eye。　Just　seeing　that　orb；　Krakovitch　knew　there　was　no　thought　behind　it；　no　sentience。　It　was　vacant；　staring；　made　no　connections　and　carried　no　emotions。　Krakovitch　doubted　if　it　even　saw。　Certainly　there　was　no　longer　any　brain　for　it　to　relay　its　message　to。　The　eye　melted　back　into　protoflesh；　was　replaced　by　small　jaws　which　clashed　mindlessly。　Then　it　sank　down　again　out　of　sight。
　〃Felix；　get　out　of　there！〃　Gulharov　was　nervous。
　Krakovitch　backed　out　of　the　circle；　Gulharov　struck　a　match；　tossed　it；　in　a　moment　the　cabinet　was　an　inferno。　Like　the　oblong　mouth　of　a　jet　engine　on　test；　the　cabinet　hurled　a　pale　blue　sheet　of　fire　roaring　into　the　cold　air；　a　shimmering　column　of　intense　heat。　And　then　Dragosani　sat　up！
　Gulharov　clutched　Krakovitch；　clung　to　him。　〃Oh　God！　Oh；　mother…he's　alive！〃　he　croaked。
　〃No；〃　Krakovitch　denied；　tearing　himself　free。　〃The　thing　in　him　is　alive；　but　mindless。　It's　all　instinct　with　no　brain　to　govern　it。　It　would　flee　but　doesn't　know　how　to；　or　even　what　it's　fleeing　from。　If　you　spear　a　sea…cucumber　it　reacts；　spills　out　its　guts。　No　mind；　just　reaction。　Look；　look！　It's　melting！〃
　And　indeed　it　seemed　that　Dragosani　was　melting。　Smoke　curled　upward　from　his　blackened　shell；　layers　of　skin　peeled　away；　bursting　into　flame；　the　fats　of　his　body　ran　like　candle　wax；　and　were　consumed　by　the　fire。　The　thing　inside　him　felt　the　heat；　reacted。　Dragosani's　trunk　shuddered；　vibrated；　convulsed。　His　arms　shot　out　straight；　then　fell　to　dangle　over　the　sides　of　the　blazing　cabinet；　where　all　the　while　they　jerked　and　twitched。　His　clothing　was　pletely　burned　away　by　now；　and　as　Krakovitch　and　Gulharov　watched　and　shuddered；　so　his　crisped　flesh　burst　open　here　and　there；　putting　out　frantic；　whipping　tendrils　that　melted　and　slopped　down　into　the　furnace。
　In　a　very　little　while　he　fell　back　and　was　still；　and　the　two　men　stood　in　the　snow　and　watched　the　fire　until　it　burned　itself　out。　It　took　all　of　twenty　minutes；　but　they　stood　there　anyway。。。
　
　3。00　P。M。；　27　August　1977。
　The　big　London　hotel；　within　easy　walking　distance　of　Whitehall；　contained　rather　more　than　its　exterior　might　suggest。　In　fact　the　entire　top　floor　was　given　over　to　a　pany　of　〃international　financial　entrepreneurs〃；　which　was　the　sum　total　of　the　hotel　manager's　knowledge　about　it。　The　pany　had　its　own　elevator　at　the　rear　of　the　building；　private　stairs；　even　its　own　fire　escape。　Indeed　the　pany　owned　the　top　floor；　which　was　therefore　entirely　outside　the　hotel's　sphere　of　control　and　operation。
　In　short；　the　top　floor　was　the　headquarters　of　the　most　secret　of　all　British　secret　services：　namely　INTESP；　the　British　equivalent　of　that　Russian　organisation　housed　just　outside　Moscow　at　the　Chateau　Bronnitsy。　But　the　hotel　was　only　the　headquarters；　there　were　also　two　〃factories〃；　one　in　Dorset　and　the　other　in　Norfolk；　direct…linked　to　each　other　and　to　the　HQ　by　telephone；　radiotelephone　and　puter。　Such　links；　though　top…security　screened；　were　open　to　sophisticated　abuse；　of　course；　a　clever　hacker　might　get　in　one　day。　Hopefully　before　that　happened　the　branch　would　have　developed　its　telepaths　to　such　an　extent　that　all　of　this　technological　junk　would　be　unnecessary。　Radio　waves　travel　at　a　mere　186；000　miles　per　second；　but　human　thought　is　instantaneous　and　carries　a　far　more　vivid　and　finished　picture。
　Such　were　Alec　Kyle's　own　thoughts　as　he　sat　at　his　desk　and　formulated　Security　Standing　Orders　for　the　six　Special　Branch　officers　whose　sole　task　in　life　was　the　personal　security　of　an　infant　boy　just　one　month　old；　a　child　called　Harry　Keogh。　Harry　Jnr…the　future　head　of　INTESP。
　〃Harry；〃　said　Kyle　out　loud；　to　no　one　in　particular；　〃you　can　have　the　job　right　now；　if　you　still　want　it。〃
　No；　came　the　answer　at　once；　startlingly　clear　in　Kyle's　mind。　Not　now；　maybe　not　ever！
　Kyle's　mouth　fell　open　and　he　started　upright　in　his　swivel　chair。　He　knew　what　this　was；　had　known　some…thing　very　much　similar　at　a　time　some　eight　months　ago。
　It　was　telepathy；　yes；　but　it　was　more　than　telepathy。　It　was　the　〃infant〃　he'd　just　been　thinking　about；　the　child　whose　mind　housed　all　that　was　left　of　the　greatest　ESP　talent　in　the　world：　Harry　Keogh。
　〃Christ！〃　Kyle　whispered。　And　now　he　knew　what　it　had　been　about；　〃it〃　being　the　dream　or　nightmare　he'd　had　last　night…when　he'd　been　co