thunter.fearloathinglasvegas-第23部分

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　　〃You'd　make　a　pisspoor　lawyer；〃　he　replied。　〃Relax。　I'll　handle　this。〃　He　dialed　the　Americana　and　asked　for　1600。　〃Hi；　Lucy；〃　he　said。　〃Yeah；　it's　me。　I　got　your　message。。。what？　Hell　no；　I　taught　the　bastard　a　lesson　he'll　never　forget。。；　what？。。。o；　not　dead；　but　he　won't　be　bothering　anybody　for　a　while…yeah；　I　left　him　out　there；　I　stomped　him；　then　pulled　all　teeth　out。。
　　Jesus；　I　thought。　What　a　terrible　thing　to　lay　on　somebody　a　head　full　of　acid。
　　〃But　here's　the　problem；〃　he　was　saying。　〃I　have　to　leave　here　right　away。　That　bastard　cashed　a　bad　check　downstairs　and　gave　you　as　a　reference；　so　they'll　be　looking　for　both　of　you。。。yeah；　I　know；　but　you　can't　judge　a　book　by　it's　cover；　Lucy；　some　people　are　just　basically　rotten。。。anyway；　the　pie　as　a　reference；　so　they'll　be　looking　for　both　of　us。　The　last　thing　in　the　world　you　want　to　do　is　call　this　hotel　again；　they'll　trace　the　call　and　put　you　straight　behind　bars。。。no；　I'm　moving　to　the　Tropicana　right　away；　I'll　call　you　from　there　when　I　know　my　room　number。。。yeah；　probably　two　hours；　I　have　to　act　casual；　or　they'll　capture　me　too。。。I　think　I'll　probably　use　a　different　name；　but　I'll　let　you　know　what　it　is。。。sure；　just　as　soon　as　I　check　in　。　。　。　what？　of　course；　we'll　go　to　the　Circus…Circus　and　catch　the　polar　bear　act；　it'll　freak　you　right　out　。　。
　　He　was　nervously　shifting　the　phone　from　ear　to　ear　while　he　talked：　〃No　。　。　。listen；　I　have　to　get　off；　they　probably　have　the　phone　tapped。。。yeah；　I　know；　it　was　horrible；　but　it's　all　over　now。。。　0　MY　GOD！　THEY'RE　KICKING　THEDOOR　DOWN！〃　He　hurled　the　phone　down　and　began　shout　ing：　〃No！　Get　away　from　me！　I'm　innocent！　It　was　Duke！　I　swear　to　God！〃　He　kicked　the　phon　against　the　wall；　then　leaned　down　to　it　and　began　yelling　again：　〃No；　I　don't　know　where　she　is！　I　think　she　went　back　to　Montana。　You'll　never　catch　Lucy！　She's　gone！〃　He　kicked　the　receiver　again；　then　picked　it　up　and　held　it　about　a　foot　away　from　his　mouth　as　he　uttered　a　long；　quavering　groan。　〃No！　No！　Don't　put　that　thing　on　me！〃　he　screamed。　Then　he　slammed　the　phone　down。
　　〃Well；〃　he　said　quietly。　〃That's　that。　She's　probably　stuffing　herself　down　the　incinerator　about　now。〃　He　smiled。　〃Yeah；　I　think　that's　the　last　we'll　be　hearing　from　Lucy。〃　I　slumped　on　the　bed。　His　performance　had　given　me　a　bad　jolt。　For　a　moment　I　thought　his　mind　had　snapped…that　he　actually　believed　he　was　being　attacked　by　invisible　enemies。
　　But　the　room　was　quiet　again。　He　was　back　in　his　chair；　watching　Mission　Impossible　and　fumbling　Idly　with　the　hash　pipe。　It　was　empty。　〃Where's　that　opium？〃　he　asked。
　　I　tossed　him　the　kit…bag。　〃Be　careful；〃　I　mattered。　〃There's　not　'such　left。〃　He　chuckled；。　〃As　your　attorney；〃　he　said；　〃I　advise　you　not　worry。〃　He　nodded　toward　the　bathroom。　〃Take　a　hit　out　of　that　little　brown　bottle　in　my　shaving　kit。〃
　　〃What　is　it？〃
　　〃Adrenochrome；〃　he　said。　〃You　won't　need　much。　Just　a　little　tiny　taste。〃　I　got　the　bottle　and　dipped　the　head　of　a　paper　match　intoit。
　　〃That's　about　right；〃　he　said。　〃That　stuff　makes　pure　mescaline　seem　like　gingerbeer。　You'll　go　pletely　crazy　if　you　take　too　much。〃　I　licked　the　end　of　the　match。　〃Where'd　you　get　this？〃　I　asked。　〃You　can't　buy　it。〃
　　〃Never　mind；〃　he　said。　〃It's　absolutely　pure。〃　I　shook　my　head　sadly。　〃Jesus！　What　kind　of　monster　client　have　you　picked　up　this　time？　There's　only　one　source　for　this　stuff　。　。
　　He　nodded。
　　〃The　adrenaline　glands　from　a　living　human　body；〃　I　said。　〃It's　no　good　if　youget　it　out　of　a　corpse。〃
　　〃I　know；〃　he　replied。　〃But　the　guy　didn't　have　any　cash。　He's　one　of　these　Satanism　freaks。　He　offered　me　human　blood…said　it　would　make　me　higher　than　I'd　ever　been　in　my　life；〃　he　laughed。　〃I　thought　he　was　kidding；　so　I　told　him　I'd　just　as　soon　have　an　ounce　or　so　of　pure　adrenochrome…or　maybe　just　a　fresh　adrenalin　gland　to　chew　on。〃　I　could　already　feel　the　stuff　working　on　me。　The　first　wave　felt　like　a　bination　of　mescaline　and　methedrmne。　Maybe　I　should　take　a　swim；　I　thought。
　　〃Yeah；〃　my　attorney　was　saying。　〃They　nailed　this　guy　for　child　molesting；　but　he　swears　he　didn't　do　it。　'Why　should　I　fuck　with　chi　Wren？'　he　says；　'They're　too　small！〃'　He　shrugged。　〃Christ；　what　could　I　say？　Even　a　goddamn　were　wolf　is　entitled　to　legal　counsel。。。I　didn't　dare　turn　the　creep　down。　He　might　have　picked　up　a　letter　opener　and　gone　after　my　pineal　gland。〃
　　〃Why　not？〃　I　said。　〃He　could　probably　get　Melvin　Belli　for　that。〃　I　nodded；　barely　able　to　talk　now。　My　body　felt　like　I'd　just　been　wired　into　a　220　volt　socket。　〃Shit；　we　should　get　us　some　of　that　stuff。〃　I　muttered　finally。　〃Just　eat　a　big　handful　and　see　what　happens。〃
　　〃Some　of　what？〃
　　〃Extract　of　pineal。〃　He　stared　at　me。　〃Sure；〃　he　said。　〃That's　a　good　idea。　One　whiff　of　that　shit　would　turn　you　into　something　out　of　a　god　damn　medical　encyclopedia！　Man；　your　head　would　swell　up　like　a　watermelon；　you'd　probably　gain　about　a　hundred　pounds　in　two　hours。。。claws；　bleeding　warts；　then　you'd　notice　about　six　huge　hairy　tits　swefling　up　on　your　back　。。　。〃　He　shook　his　head　emphatically。　〃Man；　I'll　try　just　about　anything；　but　I'd　never　in　hell　touch　a　pineal　gland。　〃Last　Christmas　somebody　gave　me　a　whole　Jimson　weed…the　root　must　have　wqighed　two　pound；　enough　for　a　year…but　I　ate　the　whole　goddamn　thiung　in　about　twenty　minutes。〃　The　slightest　hesitation　made　me　want　to　grab　him　by　the　throat　and　force　him　to　talk　faster。　〃Right！〃　I　said　eagerly。　〃Jimson　weed！　What　happened？〃
　　〃Luckily；　I　vomited　most　of　it　right　back　up；〃　he　said。　〃But　even　so；　I　went　blind　for　three　days。　Christ　I　couldn't　even　walk！　My　whole　body　turned　to　wax。　I　was　such　a　mess　that　they　had　to　haul　me　back　to　the　ranch　house　in　a　wheelbarrow。。。they　said　I　was　trying　to　talk；　but　I　sounded　like　a　raccoon。〃
　　〃Fantastic；〃　I　said。　But　I　could　barely　hear　him。　I　was　so　wired　that　my　hands　were　clawing　uncontrollably　at　the　bed　spread；　jerking　it　right　out　from　under　me　while　he　talked。　My　heels　were　dug　into　the　mattress；　with　both　knees　locked　。。。　I　could　feel　my　eyeballs　swelling；　about　to　pop　out　of　the　sockets。
　　〃Finish　the　fucking　story！〃　I　snarled。　〃What　happened？　What　about　the　glands？〃　He　backed　away；　keeping　an　eye　on　me　as　he　edged　across　the　room。　〃Maybe　you　need　another　drink；〃　he　said　nervously。　〃Jesus；　that　stuff　got　right　on　top　of　you；　didn't　it？〃　I　tried　to　smile。　〃Well。。。nothing　worse　。。　。　no；　this　is　worse　。。　。〃　It　was　hard　to　move　my　jaws；　my　tongue　felt　like　burning　magnesium。　〃No。。。nothing　to　worry　about；〃　I　hissed。　〃Maybe　if　you　could　just。。。shove　me　into　the　pool；　or　something。。
　　〃Goddamnit；〃　he　said。　〃You　took　too　much。　You're　about　to　~plode。　Jesus；　look　at　your　face！'　I　couldn't　move。　Total　paralysis　now。　Every　muscle　in　my　was　contracted。　I　couldn't　even　move　my　eyeballs；　much　turn　my　head　or　talk。
　　〃It　won't　last　long；〃　he　said。　〃The　first　rush　is　the　worst。　ride　the　bastard　out。　If　I　put　you　in　the　pool　right　now；　sink　like　a　goddamn　stone。〃　I　was　sure　of　it。　Not　even　my　lungs　seemed　to　be　functioning。　I　needed　artificial　respiration；　but　I　couldn't　open　my　mouth　to　say　so。　I　was　going　to　die。　Just　sitting　there　on　the　bed；　unable　to　move。。。well　at　least　there's　no　pain。
　　Probably；　I'll　black　out　in　a　few　seconds；　and　after　that　it　won't　matter。
　　My　attorney　had　gone　back　to　watching　television。　The　news　was　on　again。　Nixon's　face　filled　the　screen；　but　his　speech　was　hopelessly　garbled。　The　only　word　I　could　make　out　was　〃sacrifice。〃　Over　and　over　again：　〃Sacrifice。。。sacrifice　。。。　sacrificeI　could　hear　myself　breathing　heavily。　My　attorney　seemed　to　notice。　〃Just　stay　relaxed；〃　he　said　over　his　shoulder；　with　out　looking　at　me。　〃Don't　try　to　fight　it；　or　you'll　start　getting　brain　bubbles。。。strokes；　aneurisms。。。you'll　just　wither　up　and　die。〃　His　hand　snaked　out　to　change　channels。
　　
　　It　was　after　midnight　when　I　finally　was　able　to　talk　and　move　around。。。but　I　was　still　not　free　of　the　drug；　the　voltage　had　merely　been　cranked　down　from　220　to　110。　I　was　a　babbling　nervous　wreck；　flapping　around　the　room　like　a　wild　animal；　pouring　sweat　and　unable　to　concentrate　on　any　one　thought　for　more　than　two　or　three