cp.reddice-第4部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！

　　〃We　can't　hide　from　a　chopper；〃　Joel　says　again。
　　〃This　is　a　big　city；〃　I　reply。　〃There　are　many　places　to　hide。〃
　　He　sees　I　am　bloody。　〃How　bad　are　your　injuries？〃
　　It　is　an　interesting　question　because　already…in　the　space　of　a　few　minutes…they　have　pletely　healed。　Yaksha's　blood…it　is　an　amazing　potion。
　　〃I　am　all　right；〃　I　say。　〃Are　you　injured？〃
　　〃No。〃　He　pauses。　〃How　many　men　have　died　since　this　started？〃
　　〃At　least　ten。　Try　not　to　count。〃
　　〃Is　that　what　you　did　after　a　few　thousand　years？　You　stopped　counting？〃
　　〃I　stopped　thinking。〃
　　I　have　a　goal。　Because　I　know　we　cannot　stay　on　the　freeway　long；　I　decide　that　the　only　way　we　can　escape　the　helicopters　is　to　get　into　one　ourselves。　Atop　several　of　the　high…rises　in　downtown　Los　Angeles　there　are　helicopter　pads　with　choppers　waiting　to　whisk　executives　to　high…level　meetings。　I　can　fly　a　helicopter。　I　can　operate　any　piece　of　machinery　humankind　has　developed。
　　I　exit　the　freeway　on　Third　Street。　By　now　I　have　ten　black…and…whites　on　my　tail。　ing　down　the　off　ramp；　I　see　several　cop　cars　struggling　to　block　the　road　in　front　of　me。　Switching　to　the　wrong　side　of　the　street；　I　bypass　them　and　head　east　in　the　direction　of　the　tallest　buildings。　But　my　way　is　quickly　blocked　by　another　set　of　black…and…whites。　We　must　have　half　the　LAPD　after　us。　I　am　forced　to　swerve　into　the　basement　garage　of　a　building　I　don't　know。　A　wooden　bar　swings　down　to　block　my　way；　but　I　don't　stop　to　press　the　green　button　and　collect　my　ticket。　Nor　does　the　herd　of　law　enforcement　behind　me。　We　all　barrel　through　the　barricade。　A　sign　for　an　elevator　calls　my　attention　and　I　slam　the　car　to　a　halt　inches　from　the　door。　We　jump　out　and　push　the　button。　While　we　wait　for　our　ride　to　higher　floors；　I　open　fire　on　our　pursuers。　More　people　die。　I　lied　to　Joel。　I　do　count…　three　men　and　a　woman　take　bullets　in　the　face。　I　am　a　very　good　shot。
　　The　elevator　es　and　we　pile　inside。
　　I　press　the　top　button。　Number　twenty…nine。
　　〃Can　they　halt　the　elevator　from　the　basement？〃　I　ask　as　I　reload。
　　〃Yes。　But　it'll　take　them　a　few　minutes　to　figure　out　how　to　do　it。〃　He　shrugs。　〃But　does　it　matter？　They'll　surround　this　building　with　an　army。　We're　trapped。〃
　　〃You're　wrong；〃　I　say。
　　We　exit　onto　the　top　floor。　Here　there　are　expensive　suites；　for　law　firms；　plastic　surgeons；　and　investment　counselors。　But　there　is　too　much　high…priced　real　estate　in　Los　Angeles…several　of　the　suites　are　empty。　Kicking　in　the　door　of　the　nearest　vacancy；　I　stride　up　and　down　beside　the　wide　windows；　studying　the　neighboring　buildings。　I　will　have　to　cross　the　block　and　move　over　a　few　buildings　to　reach　a　high…rise　that　has　a　helicopter　pad。　I　curse　the　fact　that　I　am　not　a　mythic　vampire　from　films；　capable　of　flying。
　　Yet　I　am　able　to　leap　tall　buildings　in　a　single　bound。
　　Joel　moves　to　my　side。　Below　us；　we　watch　the　forces　of　righteousness　gather。　Two　more　helicopters　have　appeared　in　the　night　sky。　Their　bright　beams　rake　the　sides　of　the　building。
　　〃They　won't　e　up　the　elevator　after　us；〃　Joel　says。　〃They　will　only　e　when　they　have　us　surrounded　top　and　bottom。〃　He　pauses。　〃What　are　we　going　to　do？〃
　　〃I　am　going　to　set　a　new　Olympic　record。〃　I　point　to　the　building　across　the　street。　Its　roof　is　only　three　stories　below　where　we　are。　〃I　am　going　to　jump　over　to　it。〃
　　He　is　impressed。　〃That's　far。　Can　you　really　do　it？〃
　　〃If　I　get　a　running　start。　I'll　e　back　for　you　in　a　few　minutes；　in　a　helicopter。　I　will　land　it　on　the　roof　of　this　building。　Be　waiting　for　me。〃
　　〃What　if　you　miss　the　roof　of　that　building？〃
　　I　shrug。　〃It's　a　long　way　down。〃
　　〃Could　you　survive　the　fall？〃
　　〃I　think　so。　But　it　would　take　me　time　to　recover。〃
　　〃You　shouldn't　e　back　for　me；〃　Joel　says。　〃Steal　a　helicopter　and　escape。〃
　　〃That　is　not　a　consideration。〃
　　He　speaks　seriously。　〃Too　many　people　have　died。　Even　if　we　escape；　I　can't　live　with　this　slaughter　on　my　conscience。〃
　　I　am　impatient。　〃Don't　you　see　how　dangerous　you　are　to　the　human　race？　Even　dead。　They　could　take　your　blood；　inject　it　into　animals；　into　themselves…　just　as　Eddie　did。　And　they　will　do　that；　after　witnessing　what　we　can　do。　Believe　me；　I　only　kill　tonight　so　that　the　world　can　wake　safely　in　the　morning。〃
　　〃Is　that　true；　Sita？　You　would　die　to　save　all　these　men　and　women？〃
　　I　turn　away。　〃I　would　die　to　save　you。〃
　　He　speaks　gently。　〃What　did　you　sacrifice　to　keep　me　alive？〃
　　I　would　weep；　I　think；　if　I　could。　〃I　told　you。〃
　　〃I　didn't　understand。〃
　　〃It　doesn't　matter。　It's　done。〃　I　turn　back　to　him。　〃There　will　be　time　later　for　these　discussions。〃
　　He　touches　my　hair…pieces　of　glass　fall　to　the　floor。　〃You　miss　him。〃
　　〃Yes。〃
　　〃I　didn't　know　what　he　meant　to　you　when　I　watched　him　die。〃
　　I　smile　sadly。　〃Nothing　is　really　known　about　a　person　until　he　or　she　is　gone。〃
　　〃I　cannot　take　his　place。〃
　　I　nod　weakly。　〃I　know。〃　Then　I　shake　my　head。　〃I　need　to　go。〃
　　He　wants　to　hug　me。　〃This　could　be　goodbye。〃
　　〃It　is　not　over　yet。〃
　　Before　launching　my　daring　leap；　I　kick　out　the　window　that　blocks　my　way。　This　alerts　the　buzzing　choppers　but　I　don't　give　them　time　to　zero　in　on　me。　I　back　away　from　the　windows；　taking　only　the　shotgun　with　me；　giving　the　machine　gun　to　Joel。
　　〃Are　you　afraid　of　heights？〃　he　asks。
　　I　kiss　him。　〃You　don't　know　me。　I　am　afraid　of　nothing。〃
　　Taking　a　deep　breath；　I　begin　my　hard　approach。　I　can　accelerate　sharply　and　be　at　full　speed　in　less　than　ten　strides。　My　balance　and　ability　to　judge　distance　are　flawless。　I　hit　the　shattered　bottom　edge　of　the　window　perfectly　and　all　at　once　I　am　airborne。
　　The　flight　across　the　gap　between　the　buildings　is　breathtaking；　even　for　me。　It　seems　as　if　I'll　float　forever；　moving　horizontally；　in　defiance　of　gravity。　The　searchlights　on　the　helicopters　are　too　slow　to　catch　me。　I　soar　in　darkness；　a　huge　bat；　the　cool　air　on　my　face。　Below；　the　tiny　figures　raise　their　heads　skyward；　blinking　at　the　impossible。　I　almost　laugh。　They　thought　they　had　me　trapped；　silly　mortals。　They　thought　wrong。
　　My　landing　is　not　entirely　smooth　because　I　have　such　momentum。　I　am　forced　into　a　roll　as　I　skitter　across　the　rooftop。　I　am　bleeding　as　I　finally　e　to　a　halt　and　jump　up。　Overhead　the　choppers　are　frantically　maneuvering　to　open　fire。　I　am　not　given　a　chance　to　catch　my　breath　before　moving。　Leaping　for　the　next　rooftop；　I　watch　as　a　line　of　bullets　rips　a　path　in　front　of　me。
　　The　ensuing　jumps　between　buildings　are　all　on　the　same　side　of　the　street　and　not　so　dramatic　as　the　first　one。　Yet　the　last　leap；　to　the　skyscraper　with　the　helicopter　pad；　is　to　be　the　most　dramatic　of　all。　Because　I　cannot　jump　to　the　top　of　a　building　twenty　stories　up；　I　do　not　plan　to　land　on　top　of　the　skyscraper。　I　will　jump　into　it；　through　its　wall　of　windows。　I　only　hope　that　I　don't　hit　the　steel　and　concrete　between　floors。
　　Once　again；　the　choppers　approach；　their　machine　guns　blasting。
　　Once　again；　I　take　a　running　start。
　　The　windows　of　the　skyscraper　rush　toward　me　like　a　hard　black　wall。　An　instant　before　contact；　I　lean　back　and　kick　out　with　my　feet。　My　timing　is　perfect；　the　glass　shatters　around　the　lower　part　of　my　body；　sparing　my　face　and　arms。　Unfortunately；　I　land　awkwardly　on　a　row　of　secretarial　desks。　The　shock　is　incredible；　even　for　me。　ing　to　a　halt　in　a　pile　of　ruined　PCs　and　paper　clips；　I　lie　still　for　a　whole　minute；　trying　to　catch　my　breath。　I　am　now　covered　with　blood　from　head　to　toe。　Yet　even　as　I　grimace　in　pain　my　flesh　wounds　begin　to　close　and　my　broken　bones　begin　to　mend。
　　I　have　pany　on　the　outside。　One　of　the　helicopter　pilots　has　taken　it　upon　himself　to　e　level　with　the　hole　I　have　punched　into　the　side　of　the　skyscraper。　The　chopper　floats　just　outside　the　shattered　window；　scanning　the　office　with　its　bright　searchlight。　There　are　three　men；　including　the　pilot；　aboard　the　craft。　Peering　through　the　wreckage；　I　notice　that　the　machine　gunner　has　an　itchy　finger。　I　think　to　myself　how　much　more…1　would　prefer　to　have　a　police　chopper　than　a　civilian　one。　But　the　pilot　is　not　reckless。　He　keeps　the　chopper　constantly　moving　a　little　from　side　to　side。　For　me　to　try　to　leap　onto　it　would　be　risky。　I　opt　for　the　more　conservative　plan。
　　I　get　up　slowly；　limping。　My　right　shinbone　is　still　fractured；　but　it　will　be　all　right　in　another　minute　…　God　bless　Yaksha's　blood。　Ducking　behind　the　desks；　the　beam　from　the　searchlight　stretching　long；　stark　shadows　across　the　office；　I　move　away　from　the　broken　window。　The　helicopter　swoops　in　a　narrow　arc；　sometimes　onto　the　far　side　of　the　hole；　sometimes　closer　to　where　I'm　hidden。　The　windows　are　tinted；　it　is　easier　for　me　to　follow　their　movements　than　for　them　to　follow　mine；　unless　their　light　were　to　hit　me　directly。　Yet　they　seem　obsessed　with　the　space　just　beyond　the　hole。　They　must　feel　that　I　am　in　the　wreckage　somewhere　near　it；　injured　and　dying。
　　〃e　to　me　baby；〃　I　whisper。
　　On　their　third　swing　toward　my　side；　I　punch　out　the　window　in　front　of　me　and　open　fire。　I　take　out　the　machine　gunner　first；　I　don't　li