bl.necroscope2-第69部分

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　Two　of　the　KGB　men；　unsmiling；　restrained　him　while　the　third　moved　up　very　close；　put　down　his　suitcases　and　took　his　cabin　luggage。　Kyle　felt　a　stab　of　fear；　a　moment　of　panic。
　〃Need　I　introduce　myself？〃　The　Russian　agent's　eyes　bored　into　Kyle's。
　Kyle　found　his　nerve；　shook　his　head　and　managed　a　rueful　smile。　〃I　think　not；〃　he　answered。　〃How　are　you　this　morning；　Mr　Dolgikh？　Or　should　I　simply　call　you　Theo？〃
　〃Try　〃rade〃；〃　said　Dolgikh　without　humour。　〃That　will　suffice　。　。
　Whatever　Yulian　Bodescu's　intentions　had　been；　he　had　not　left　Harkley　House　at　dawn。
　
　At　5。00　A。M。　Ken　Layard　and　Simon　Gower　arrived　to　relieve　Darcy　Clarke；　who　then　returned　to　Paignton。　At　6。00　A。M。　Trevor　Jordan　joined　Layard　and　Gower；　the　three　split　up；　formed　points　of　triangulation。　An　hour　later　there　were　two　more　men；　reinforcements　Roberts　had　earlier　called　down　from　London。　All　of　these　arrivals　were　dutifully　reported　by　Vlad；　until　Yulian　cautioned　the　huge　dog　and　ordered　him　down　to　the　cellars。　It　was　broad　daylight　now　and　Vlad　would　be　seen　ing　and　going。　The　Alsatian　was　Yulian's　rearguard　and　no　harm　must　e　to　him　just　yet。
　The　enemy's　numbers　had　penned　Yulian　in；　but　just　as　bad　from　his　point　of　view　was　the　fact　that　the　day　was　cloudless；　the　risen　sun　bright　and　strong。　The　mists　of　the　night　had　soon　been　steamed　away；　and　the　air　was　clear　and　smelled　fresh。　Behind　the　house；　beyond　the　wall　that　marked　the　boundary　of　the　grounds；　woods　rose　to　the　top　of　a　low　hill。　There　was　a　track　through　the　woods　and　one　of　the　watchers　had　somehow　managed　to　get　his　vehicle　up　there。　He　sat　there　now；　watching　the　house　through　binoculars。　Yulian　could　easily　have　seen　him　through　one　of　the　upper　storey　rear　windows；　but　he　didn't　need　to。　He　sensed　that　he　was　there。
　At　the　front　of　the　house　were　two　more　watchers：　one　not　far　from　the　gate；　standing　beside　his　car；　the　other　fifty　yards　away。　Their　weapons　were　not　visible　but　Yulian　knew　they　had　crossbows。　And　he　knew　the　agony　a　hardwood　bolt　would　cause　him。　Two　more　men　guarded　the　flanks；　one　at　each　side　of　the　house；　where　they　could　look　into　the　grounds　across　the　walls。
　Yulian　was　trapped…for　the　moment。
　Fight？　He　couldn't　even　leave　the　house　without　them　seeing　him。　And　those　crossbows　of　theirs　would　be　deadly　accurate。　The　day　wore　on　through　midday　and　into　the　afternoon；　and　Yulian　began　to　sweat。　At　3。00　P。M。　a　sixth　man　came　on　the　scene…driving　a　truck。　Yulian　watched　carefully　from　behind　the　curtains　at　his　garret　window。
　The　driver　of　the　truck　must　be　the　leader　of　these　damned　psychic　spies。　The　leader　of　this　group；　anyway。　He　was　fat；　but　in　no　way　clumsy；　his　mind　would　be　hard　and　clear；　except　he　guarded　his　thoughts　like　gold。　He　began　to　distribute　indeterminate　items　of　heavy　equipment　in　canvas　containers；　also　jerrycans；　food　and　drink；　to　the　other　men。　He　spent　a　little　time　with　each　of　them；　talking　to　them；　demonstrated　with　certain　pieces　of　equipment；　gave　instructions。　Yulian　sweated　more　yet。　He　knew　now　that　it　would　be　this　evening。　Traffic　rolled　as　usual　on　the　autumn　road；　couples　walked　together　in　the　sunshine　hand　in　hand；　birds　sang　in　the　woods。　The　world　looked　the　same　as　it　always　looked　…but　those　men　out　there　had　determined　that　this　would　be　Yulian　Bodescu's　last　day。
　Using　what　cover　he　could　find；　the　vampire　risked　his　neck　making　excursions　outside　the　house。　He　used　a　rear　ground　floor　window　where　it　was　shrouded　by　shrubbery；　also　the　cellar　exit　through　the　out…building。　Twice；　if　he'd　been　fully　prepared；　he　might　have　made　a　break　for　it；　when　the　watchers　to　the　rear　and　at　one　side　of　the　house　went　down　to　the　road　for　their　supplies；　on　both　occasions　they　returned　while　he　was　still　calculating　the　odds。　Yulian　grew　still　more　nervous；　his　thinking　being　very　erratic。
　Back　in　the　house；　whenever　he　crossed　tracks　with　one　of　the　women；　he　would　lash　out；　shout；　curse。　His　nervousness　transferred　itself　to　Vlad　and　the　great　dog　prowled　the　empty　cellars　to　and　fro；　to　and　fro。
　Then；　about　4。00　P。M。；　suddenly　Yulian　was　aware　of　a　weird　psychic　stillness；　the　mental　lull　before　the　storm。　He　strained　his　vampire　senses　to…　their　fullest　extent　and　could　detect。。。　nothing！　The　watchers　had　screened　their　minds；　so　that　not　even　a　trace　of　their　thoughts　their　intentions　could　escape。　In　so　doing　they　gave　away　their　final　secret；　they　told　Yulian　the　time　they　had　planned　for　his　death。
　It　was　to　be　now；　within　the　hour；　and　the　light　only　just　beginning　to　fade　as　the　sun　lowered　itself　towards　the　horizon。
　Yulian　put　fear　aside。　He　was　Wamphyri！　These　men　had　powers；　yes；　and　they　were　strong。　But　he　had　powers　too。　And　he　might　yet　prove　to　be　stronger。
　He　went　down　into　the　cellars　and　spoke　to　Vlad：
　You've　been　faithful　to　me　as　only　a　dog　can　be；　he　said；　facing　the　great　beast；　their　yellow　eyes　locked；　but　you　are　more　than　a　dog。　Those　men　out　there　might　suspect　that；　and　they　might　not。　Whichever；　when　they　e；　you　go　out　first　to　meet　them。　Give　no　quarter。　if　you　survive；　seek　me　out。　。
　And　then　he　〃spoke〃　to　the　Other；　that　loathsome　extrusion　of　himself。　It　was　the　implanting　of　suggestions　in　a　blank　space；　the　imprinting　of　an　idea　upon　a　void；　the　burning　of　a　brand　into　a　beast's　hide。　Floor　flags　buckled　in　one　dark　corner；　the　ground　underfoot　shifted　and　dust　fell　in　rills　from　the　low　vaulting。　That　was　all。　Perhaps　it　had　understood；　and　perhaps　not　。
　Finally　Yulian　returned　to　his　room。　He　changed　his　clothes；　put　on　a　neutral　grey　track…suit　and　shoved　his　wide…brimmed　hat　into　the　waistband。　He　neatly　folded　a　suit　of　clothes　into　a　small　travelling　case；　along　with　a　wallet　containing　a　good　deal　of　money　in　large　notes。　That　was　that；　he　needed　nothing　more。
　Then；　as　the　minutes　ticked　by；　he　sat　down；　closed　his　eyes　and　pitted　his　own　dark　nature　against　the　great　Mother　Nature　herself　in　one　final　test　of　his　now　mature　vampire　powers。　He　willed　a　mist；　called　up　a　wreathing　white　screen　from　the　earth　and　the　streams　and　the　woods；　a　clinging　fog　down　from　the　hillsides。
　The　watchers；　tense　now　and　taut　as　the　strings　of　their　crossbows；　scarcely　noticed　the　sun　slipping　behind　the　clouds　and　the　ground　mist　creeping　at　their　ankles；　as　a　man；　their　attention　was　riveted　on　the　house。
　And　time　moved　inexorably　towards　the　appointed　hour　。
　
　I　Darcy　Clarke　drove　furiously　north。　He　had　cursed　aloud　until　his　throat　was　raw；。　and　then　silently　until　his　cursing　had　e　down　to　one　four…letter　word　repeated　over　and　ver　again　in　his　fuming　mind。　What　his　fury　amounted　to　was　this：　he　wouldn't　be　in　on　the　kill。　He　was　out　of　the　attack　on　Harkley。　Now；　instead；　he　was　to　be　minder　in…chief　to　a。。。　a　tiny　infant！
　Clarke　was　well　aware　of　the　importance　of　his　new　task　and　understood　the　purpose　of　it：　with　his　talent　it　is　unlikely　that　any　harm　would　e　to　him。　And　so；　if　he　was　shielding　the　young　Harry　Keogh；　the　baby　should　likewise　be　safe。　But　to　Darcy's　way　of　thinking；　prevention　was　better　than　cure。　Stop　Bodescu　dead　at　Harkley　House；　and　you　wouldn't　have　to　worry　about　the　baby　at　all。　And　if　he；　Darcy　Clarke；　was　at　Harkley…if　only　he　was　there　then　guarantee　Bodescu　would　be　stopped！
　But　he　wasn't　there；　he　was　here；　driving　north　for　that　godforsaken　hole　Hartlepool。
　On　the　other　hand；　he　knew　that　every　single　man　of　them　back　there　was　equally　dedicated　to　Bodescu's　destruction。　Which　helped　a　little。
　Clarke　had　got　back　to　Paignton　before　6。00　A。M。　and　Roberts　had　ordered　him　straight　into　bed。　Later；　he　said；　he　would　have　a　big　job　for　him　and　wanted　him　to　get　at　least　six　hours'　sleep。　Finally　Clarke　had　dozed　off；　and　though　he'd　feared　the　very　worst　dreams　none　had　e。　At　noon　Roberts　had　shaken　him　awake；　told　him　what　his　new　job　was。　Since　when　Clarke　had　been　driving；　and　cursing。
　He　had　joined　the　M1　at　Leicester；　then　picked　up　the　A19　at　Thirsk。　He　was　now　something　less　than　an　hour　from　his　destination；　and　the　time　was　（he　glanced　at　his　watch）…4。50P。M。
　Clarke　stopped　cursing。　God！　What　would　it　be　like　right　now；　down　there？
　〃Where　the　hell　did　this　mist　spring　from？〃　Trevor　Jordan　shivered；　turning　up　the　collar　of　his　coat。　〃Hell；　it　was　a　nice　day；　from　the　weather　point　of　view；　anyway。〃　For　all　his　vehemence；　Jordan　had　spoken　in　a　whisper。
　All　of　the　INTESP　agents；　at　their　various　stations　around　Harkley　House；　had　been　speaking　in　whispers　for　the　last　twenty　minutes。　At　4。30；　working　to　Roberts's　instructions；　they'd　formed　pairs…which　was　as　well；　for　the　mist　had　thickened　up　and　started　to　threaten　their　individual　security。　It　felt　nice　to　have　someone　really　close　to　you。
　Jordan's　〃buddy〃　in　the　system　was　Ken　Layard　the　locator。　He　was　shivering；　too；　despite　the　fact　that　he　carried　seventy…eight　pounds　of　Brissom　Mark　III　flame…thrower　on　his　back。　〃I'm　not　sure；〃　he　finally　answered　Jordan's　question；　〃but　I　think　it's　from　him。〃　He　nodded　towards　the　house　where　it　stood　swathed　in　mist。
　They　were　just　inside　the　north　wall；　at　a　place　where　they'd　found　a　gap　in　the　stonework。　Just　a　minute　ago；　at　4。50；　they'd　checked　their　watche