the.stainless.steel.rats.revenge-第18部分

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t　over；　agreeing　sympathetically　with　his　half…heard　plaints；　helping　him　to　his　feet。
　　　　Then　the　soldiers　were　helping　me；　holding　me　as　well　since　I　seemed　none　too　steady　on　my　feet；　guiding　us　both　to　the　waiting　truck。　I　tripped　and　almost　fell　and　they　caught　and　righted　me。　Now　the　stage　was　setbecause　there　was　one　more　thing　I　had　to　do。　The　cook　in　the　truck　would　report　that　he　had　hit　the　spy　on　the　head。　So　the　word　would　be　out　to　look　for　a　head　woundlike　the　one　I　had。　I　couldn't　get　rid　of　the　knob　on　the　side　of　my　skull；　but　I　could　camouflage　it。　It　would　be　painful；　but　it　was　necessary。
　　　　The　soldiers　helped　me　to　the　first　step　and　I　started　up。　As　soon　as　they　let　go　I　missed　the　next　stepand　plummeted　over　backwards　between　them　cracking　my　head　on　the　ground。
　　　　I　hit　harder　than　I　had　planned　and　the　blow　on　my　already　sore　noggin　felt　like　molten　lead　had　been　poured　on　it　and　I　must　have　passed　out　for　a　moment。　When　I　recovered　I　was　sitting　up　with　blood　running　down　the　side　of　my　faceI　hadn't　planned　that　but　it　certainly　made　a　nice　touchand　a　soldier　was　running　up　with　a　first　aid　kit。　I　was　bandaged　and　calmed　and　this　time　helped　all　the　way　into　the　truck：　I　felt　awful　which　was　fine。　With　dragging　feet　I　groped　my　way　to　the　far　end；　as　far　from　the　entrance　as　I　could　get；　where　a　voice　called　out　hollowly　to　me。　
　　　　〃Vaska　。　。　。〃　It　changed　to　a　hollow　coughing。　
　　　　My　roommate　Otrov　was　there；　looking　rumpled　and　miserable。
　　　　〃You　don't　have　a　drink？〃　he　asked；　his　usual　morning　salutation。
　　　　I　gave　him　sympathy；　if　not　beverage；　during　our　brief　ride。
　　　　There　were　aggrieved　cries　when　the　wheeled　drunk　tank　was　unloaded　and　the　officers　saw　that　they　had　not　been　returned　to　their　quarters；　but　had　been　brought　instead　to　one　of　the　administration　buildings。　I　plained　along　with　the　others；　although　I　had　been　expecting　something　like　this。　Someone　had　escaped　from　the　Glupost　base；　someone　else　had　entered。　Every　head　would　have　to　be　counted　until　the　missing　and/or　extra　party　could　be　found。　We　were　guided；　stumbling；　into　a　waiting　area；　to　be　called　out　one　by　one　to　confer　with　a　battery　of　tired　clerks。　While　we　waited　there　was　a　brisk　amount　of　business　back　and　forth　to　the　latrine　and　I　joined　the　queue。　Mainly　to　leave　a　little　soap　on　my　fingers　when　I　washed　my　hands；　so　I　could　rub　some　of　it　into　my　eyes。　It　burned　like　acid；　but　I　let　it　stay　for　a　moment　before　I　rinsed　it　out。　My　eyes　glared　back　at　me　from　the　mirror　like　twin　coals　of　fire。　Perfect。
　　　　On　cue；　I　found　the　clerk；　showed　my　identification　and　had　my　name　checked　off　a　roster。　I　hoped；　like　all　the　others；　that　we　would　be　allowed　to　leave　soon。　Many　of　than　had　gone　to　sleep　on　the　benches　and　I　joined　their　number。　It　had　been　a　strenuous　night。　What　better　disguise　for　the　spy　than　sleeping　in　the　heart　of　the　enemy？
　　　　It　was　the　sudden　silence　that　shook　me　awake。　I　had　been　lulled　off　by　the　grumbles　and　plaints　of　my　fellow　officers；　the　ing　and　going　of　soldiers；　the　busy　whir　of　office　machines。　These　noises　had　all　stopped；　and　had　been　replaced　by　silence。　Through　the　silence；　first　distant；　than　fonder　and　louder；　came　the　sound　of　a　single　set　of　footsteps　approaching　slowly　and　steadily。　They　came　towards　meand　passed　by；　and　I　kept　my　eyes　closed　and　forced　myself　to　breathe　regularly。　Only　when　they　were　well　past　did　I　open　my　eyes　a　crack。
　　　　I　wondered　at　the　silence。　All　I　saw　was　the　back　of　the　man；　a　nondescript　back　slightly　bent；　a　wrinkled　uniform　of　unimpressive　pale　gray　and　a　cap　of　the　same　fabric。　I　could　not　recall　seeing　this　particular　uniform　before。　I　wondered　what　the　fuss　was　about。　Yawning；　I　sat　up　and　scratched　my　head　below　the　bandage；　watching　as　the　man　reached　the　end　of　the　room　and　turned　to　face　us　all。　He　was　no　more　prepossessing　from　the　front　than　from　the　back。　Sandy　hair　getting　a　little　thin　on　top；　an　incipient　roll　of　fat　and　double　chin；　clean　shaven　with　an　unmemorable　face。　Yet　when　he　spoke；　in　the　tones　of　a　stem　schoolmaster；　all　of　the　veteran　officers　present　remained　dead　silent。
　　　　〃You　officers；　the　few　among　you　who　were　sober　enough　that　is；　may　have　heard　an　explosion　and　seen　a　cloud　of　smoke　while　you　were　on　the　way　here。　This　explosion　was　caused　by　an　individual　who　entered　this　base　and　is　still　undetected　in　our　midst。　We　know　nothing　about　him；　but　suspect　that　he　is　an　offworld　spy。。。〃
　　　　This　drew　a　gasp　and　a　murmur　as　might　be　expected　and　the　gray　man　waited　a　moment　until　he　continued。
　　　　〃We　are　making　an　intensive　search　for　this　individual。　Since　you　gentlemen　were　in　the　immediate　vicinity　I　am　going　to　talk　to　you　one　at　a　time　to　find　out　what　you　might　know。　I　also　may　discover　。　。　。　which　one　of　you　is　the　missing　spy。〃　
　　　　This　last　shaft　exacted　only　a　shocked　silence。　Now　that　he　had　everyone　in　the　right　mental　condition　for　cross…examining　the　gray　man　began　calling　officers　forward　one　at　a　time。　I　was　doubly　grateful　for　the　foresight　that　had　dropped　me　off　the　truck　onto　the　side　of　my　head。
　　　　It　was　no　accident　that　I　was　the　third　man　called　forward。　On　what　grounds？　General　resemblance　in　build　to　the　offworld　spy　Pas　Ratunkowy？　My　delayed　arrival　at　Glupost？　The　bandage？　Some　basis　of　suspicion　must　have　existed。　I　dragged　forward　with　slow　speed　just　as　the　others　had　done。　I　saluted　and　he　pointed　to　the　chair　next　to　the　desk。
　　　　〃Why　don't　you　hold　this　while　we　talk；〃　he　said　in　a　reasonable　voice；　passing　over　the　silver　egg　of　a　polygraph　transmitter。
　　　　The　real　Vaska　would　not　have　recognized　it；　so　I　didn't。　I　just　looked　at　it　with　slight　interestas　though　I　did　not　know　it　was　transmitting　vital　information　to　the　lie　detector　before　himand　clutched　it　in　my　hand。　My　thoughts　were　not　as　calm。
　　　　I'm　caught！　He　has　me！　He　knows　who　I　am　and　is　just　toying　with　me！
　　　　He　looked　deep　into　my　bloodshot　eyes　and　I　detected　a　slight　curl　of　distaste　to　his　mouth。
　　　　〃You　have　had　quite　a　night　of　it。　Lieutenant　Hulja；〃　he　said　quietly；　his　eyes　on　the　sheaf　of　papersand　on　the　lie　detector　readout　as　well。
　　　　〃Yes　sir；　you　know　。　。　。　having　a　few　last　drinks　with　the　boys。〃　That　was　what　I　said　aloud。　What　I　thought　was　'They　will　shoot　me；　dead；　right　through　the　heart！'　and　I　could　visualize　that　vital　organ　spouting　my　life's　blood　into　the　dirt。
　　　　〃I　see　you　recently　had　your　rank　reducedand　where　are　your　fuses。　Pas　Ratunkowy？〃　Am　I　tired　。　。　。　wish　I　was　in　the　sack　I　thought。
　　　　〃Fuses；　sir？〃　I　blinked　my　red　orbs　and　reached　to　scratch　my　head　and　touched　the　bandage　and　thought　better　of　it。　His　eyes　glared　into　mine；　gray　eyes　almost　the　color　of　his　uniform；　and　for　a　moment　I　caught　the　strength　and　anger　behind　his　quiet　manners。
　　　　〃And　your　head　woundwhere　did　you　get　that？　Our　offworld　spy　was　struck　on　the　side　of　the　head。〃
　　　　〃I　fell；　sir；　someone　must　have　pushed　me。　Out　of　the　truck。　The　soldiers　bandaged　it；　ask　them　。　。　。〃
　　　　〃I　already　have。　Drunk　and　falling　down　and　a　disgrace　to　the　officer　corps。　Get　away　and　clean　yourself　up；　you　disgust　me。　Next　man。〃
　　　　I　climbed　unsteadily　to　my　feet；　not　looking　into　the　steady　glare　of　those　cold　eyes；　and　stared　off　as　though　I　had　forgotten　the　device　in　my　hand；　then　turned　back　and　dropped　it　on　his　desk；　but　he　was　bent　over　the　papers　and　ignoring　me。　I　could　see　a　faint　scar　under　the　thin　hair　of　his　balding　crown。　I　left。
　　　　Fooling　a　polygraph　takes　skill；　practice　and　training。　All　of　which　I　had。　It　can　only　be　done　in　certain　circumstances　and　this　one　had　been　ideal。　A　sudden　interview　without　normalizing　tests　being　run　on　the　subject。　Therefore　I　began　the　interview　in　a　near　panicbefore　any　questions　had　been　asked。　All　of　this　must　have　peaked　nicely　on　his　graph。　I　was　afraid。　Of　him；　of　something；　anything。　But　when　he　had　asked　the　loaded　question　meant　to　uncover　a　spythe　question　I　knew　was　ingI　had　relaxed　and　the　readout　had　shown　this。　The　question　was　a　meaningless　one　to　anyone　but　the　offworlder。　Once　he　saw　this　the　interview　was　over；　he　had　plenty　more　to　do。
　　　　Otrov　was　sitting　up；　cold　sober；　eyes　as　big　as　plates　when　I　came