el.angeleyes-第68部分

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to　find。　There　was　no　control　in　the　field；　where　one　was　continually　bombarded　with　the　randomness　of　life。　The　only　problem　was　that　she　had　herself　forgotten　how　random　a　mission　could　be；　and　events　had　not　gone　as　planned。
　For　one　thing；　Estilo　had　betrayed　her。　For　another；　Russell　had　turned　out　to　be　far　more　clever　and　resourceful　in　the　field　than　she　ever　could　have　imagined。　She　had　maneuvered　Bernard　Godwin　into　ordering　Russell　into　the　field　with　her　just　so　she　could　show　him　up　as　the　desk　jockey　he　was；　to　send　him　back　to　Mail　Central　humbled　and　defeated　by　his　inpetence。　But；　Tori　thought；　that's　not　how　it's　turned　out。
　She　had　been　increasingly　impressed　by　his　expertise；　his　bravery　under　fire；　both　psychological…at　Cruz's　apartment…　and　physical；　at　the　cocaine　factory　in　the　llano　negro。　And　then　in　a　stunning　display　of　courage；　he　had　challenged　Cruz；　throwing　himself；　weaponless；　into　the　corrida　in　Machine…Gun　City。
　My　God；　she　thought；　sitting　across　from　him　in　the　second…floor　coffee　shop　in　Roppongi；　this　can't　be　happening。　I　don't　know　this　man　at　all。　Russ　has　been　my　rival；　my　enemy。　Who　does　Bernard　love　most；　me　or　Russ？　That's　the　way　it's　been　ever　since　Russell　came　on　board…at　least；　I'm　convinced　that's　how　he's　seen　it。　Bernard　Godwin；　the　Mall's　eminence　grise；　has　been　our　surrogate　father；　and　like　disputatious　children　we've　been　yelling　''Choose　me！　Choose　me！〃　at　the　top　of　our　lungs。
　Staring　at　Russell　across　the　table；　watching　him　drink　his　ten…dollar　cup　of　coffee；　Tori　could　no　longer　see　him　as　the　man　who　had　outsmarted　her　at　every　turn　at　Mail　Central。　I'm　supposed　to　hate　this　man；　she　thought。　Haven't　I　hated　him　from　the　moment　he　severed　me？　I　hate　him；　I　don't；　I　can't　possibly…
　But　she　could　not　even　think　it；　and　with　an　inner　convulsion；　she　turned　her　thoughts　in　another　direction；　any　direction　to　distract　herself。。。
　She　remembered　a　time　at　Diana's　Garden　in　L。A。；　late　in　the　day；　when　the　shadows　grew　long　and　as　dark　as　plums；　her　favorite　time；　lazing　by　the　pool　after　a　ninety…minute　workout　on　the　board　and　in　the　water。　She　was　in　her　second　year　of　junior　high；　and　Greg　was　a　sophomore　in　college；　home　for　Easter。
　She　was　staring　up　at　the　glazed　sky。　Greg　was　at　her　side。　She　could　feel　him；　his　coolness　close　to　the　heat　of　her　own　body。　She　liked　that　he　was　always　cool；　always　a　contrast　to　her　warm　skin；　because　often；　when　she　looked　in　his　face；　it　was　like　staring　into　a　mirror；　two　pairs　of　identical　angel　eyes　reflecting。
　Her　workout　had　not　been　enough　to　calm　her　on　that　particular　day；　and　Greg　had　caught　her　crying。
　〃What's　up；　Tor？〃
　〃Nothing。〃
　〃You're　crying　over　nothing？''　He　grunted。　〃That's　stupid。''
　〃I'm　not　stupid。〃
　〃I　know。〃
　She　looked　up；　almost　shyly。　〃I'm　having　a　hard　time　in　Russian。　I　can't　seem　to　understand　it　at　all。〃
　〃Don't　give　up　on　it。　It's　important　to　him　that　we　know　Russian。〃
　〃Uck！〃
　It　had　always　seemed　an　enigma　that　her　father；　so　desperate　to　be　part　of　American　society　in　so　many　ways；　also　wanted　not　to　lose　his　Russian　heritage。　It　was　he　who　had　insisted　she　take　Russian　instead　of　French；　the　elegant　language　most　of　her　friends　took。　Russian　classes　were　filled　with　nerds　with　Coke…bottle…bottom　glasses；　thick　necks；　and　pimply　faces。　She　hated　them；　and　she　hated　the　language　in　which　nothing　seemed　to　make　sense。　She　thought　she'd　rather　study　Martian。
　〃You　have　a　test　today？〃　Greg　asked。
　〃Mid…term。　I　got　sick　and　threw　up　before　I　took　it。　I　think　I　might　have　failed　it。〃
　''You've　got　to　apply　yourself；''　Greg　said；　stretching　into　the　last　patch　of　sunlight　on　the　coping。　〃It's　easy　if　you　try。　Everything's　easy。〃
　''For　you；　maybe。〃
　〃For　you；　too。　We're　not　so　different　as　you　think。〃
　〃But　I　don't　understand　a　thing！〃　she　wailed。　〃I've　gone　to　every　class；　I　take　notes；　but　I　don't　know　what　it　is　I'm　writing。〃
　〃Maybe　it's　the　teacher；　then。　Who've　you　got？〃　Having　graduated　the　same　junior　high　six　years　before；　Greg　knew　everyone。
　〃Mr。　Broker。〃
　〃Broker　sucks；〃　Greg　said。　〃I'll　go　have　a　talk　with　Bob　Hayes；　the　principal；　tomorrow　after　classes。　Hayes　knows　what　a　prick　Broker　is。　Peter　Borachov's　the　best　Russian　teacher。　I'll　get　you　transferred　to　his　class。〃
　〃I'll　still　hate　it。〃
　〃Don't　be　a　dope。　It's　neat。　You'll　like　it；　I　promise。〃
　〃Really？〃
　〃Really。〃
　〃Gee。　Great！〃　And　just　like　that。　Tori's　insoluble　problem　had　been　solved。　It　had　taken　Greg　to　e　up　with　the　answer。　Greg　always　had　the　answers。
　All　of　a　sudden　that　afternoon　was　so　peaceful；　so　perfect。　But　not　for　long。　Greg；　laughing；　rolling　over；　reaching　out；　taking　her　with　him　into　the　pool。　Down；　down；　down；　into　the　water；　Greg's　wide；　powerful　hand　pressed　against　the　top　of　her　head；　keeping　her　deep　in　the　water　while　the　air　running　out　burned　her　lungs　and　a　kind　of　animal　panic　gripped　her　so　that　she　flailed　out　with　her　arms　and　legs　and；　at　last；　as　she　began　to　cry；　feeling　the　weight　e　off　her；　Greg　lifting　her　upward　into　the　air　and　the　light。
　〃Stop！　Stop！　Stop！　Don't　ever　do　that　again！〃　She　could　remember　him　peering　into　her　face　while　she　wept　and　gasped；　until　she　said；　〃Why　are　you　looking　at　me？〃
　〃To　see　your　face　change；〃　Greg　said。
　〃How　did　my　face　change？〃　Tori　asked；　wiping　away　her　tears。　This　was　an　altogether　grown…up　conversation；　and　she　had　already　forgotten　her　fear　and　her　anger。
　〃I　can't　tell　you；〃　Greg　said；　〃but　I　can　show　you。〃　He　put　her　hand　on　his　head。　〃Push　me　down　into　the　water。　Don't　let　me　e　up。〃
　〃Greg；　don't　be　stupid。　Why　should　I　want…〃
　〃Just　do　it；　Tor！〃　he　thundered；　his　eyes　alight　with　energy；　so　that　Tori　was　helpless　to　do　anything　other　than　ply。
　She　pushed　his　head　under　the　water。　It　took　both　her　hands；　her　arms　rigid；　her　legs　fluttering　back　and　forth　in　the　water　for　added　power。　Her　head　was　just　above　the　surface　of　the　pool。　She　could　remember　how　the　sunlight　cut　a　last　dazzle　on　the　water　and　then；　sinking　below　the　tops　of　the　palms；　left　the　pool　in　blue　twilight。　The　pumps　had　cut　off；　and　the　water　was　utterly　still；　crystal　clear。
　Tori　looked　down　at　her　brother　submerged　as；　terrifyingly；　she　had　been　moments　before。　Was　this　some　kind　of　test；　she　wondered；　a　way　to　improve　his　breath　control？　She　liked　being　made　part　of　his　program；　loved　the　sense　of　Tori　and　Greg　versus　Mom　and　Dad；　his　strength　added　to　hers；　another　layer　of　callus　to　keep　out　the　parental　intrusions。
　They　were　alone　in　Diana's　Garden；　alone　in　the　cool　water；　just　the　two　of　them　taking　part　in　a　mysterious　process；　like　an　ancient　rite　of　which　Tori　had　no　knowledge。　And　the　not　knowing　somehow　added　to　her　excitement；　as　if　she　were　participating　in　a　really　adult　thing；　Greg　trusting　her　as　if　she　were　already　grown　up；　and　she　thought；　it　was　worth　being　terrorized　by　him　for　moments　such　as　these。
　Time　passed。　Ripples　on　the　skin　of　the　pool；　a　string　of　tiny　bubbles　leaking　from　the　corner　of　Greg's　mouth。　She　could　feel　him　trying　to　rise；　and　she　fluttered　her　feet　harder；　gaining　purchase　and　leverage　at　the　same　time；　pushing　down　to　meet　the　increased　pressure。
　And　then　a　bluebird　swooped　down　from　its　perch　in　a　nearby　tree；　skimmed　the　water　as　if　wanting　to　see　what　lay　below；　and　Tori　thought；　What　am　I　doing？　I　am　holding　my　brother　underwater；　and　I　don't　know　how　long　he's　been　unable　to　breathe。　She　felt　a　shiver　of　fright。
　With　a　convulsive　gesture　she　took　her　hands　off　the　top　of　Greg's　head；　dove　down；　pulled　him　back　to　the　surface。　His　face　was　white；　his　eyes　oddly　dark。　He　looked　like　a　different　person；　as　if　the　proximity　to　death　had　somehow　changed　him。　Something　strange　and　cold　crept　through　Tori's　veins。
　〃There；〃　Greg　said；　gripping　her　shoulders　hard　to　be　certain　that　she　was　staring　directly　at　him。　〃Do　you　see？　I　couldn't　tell　you；　but　I've　shown　you；　haven't　I？　〃
　Tori；　sitting　opposite　Russell　Slade　in　futuristic　Roppongi；　asked　herself　why　she　had　recalled　that　specific　incident。　Perhaps　it　was　because　the　emotions　gripping　her　heart　were　so　disturbing　that　she　had　to　conjure　even　more　disturbing　thoughts　to　try　to　b