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！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
As if it were all happening in slow motion； Croaker saw Tony D。 nod his head。 He could almost feel Sal's forefinger tightening on the trigger； the marksman's eye staring at him through the magnifying lens of the scope。
The sound of a shot exploded； but no bullet slammed into Croaker。 His heart hammered in his chest。 He heard a little groan； and he and Tony D。 turned at the same time。 Sal was slumped on the nibble of brick and concrete； the rifle an arm's length away。
〃What the fuck …〃
〃Don't try thinking it through； Tony；〃 a manding voice said。 〃It'll be too much for you。〃
Croaker saw a figure striding across the junkyard。 He was somewhat older than Tony； nevertheless his shock of unruly； curling hair and his wide grin gave him something of the aspect of an adolescent He bounded across the uneven ground on long； powerful legs。
Tony's jaw dropped open。 〃Mary； Mother of God。 Bad Clams。〃
〃In person；〃 Caesare Leonforte said； his jaunty grin in place。
〃You got a fuckin' nerve stepping into my territory without permission。〃
Leonforte peered curiously at Tony as if he were an exotic exhibit in a zoo。 〃You think so？ Yeah； I know； I had a deal with Dominic； rest his soul； that I'd stay on the West Coast and he'd stay in the East。〃 He shrugged 〃But you know how it is； counselor； human nature being what it is； Dora started expanding westward and I； well； I moved east。〃
〃You fucking gavone！〃 Tony screamed； red…faced。 〃You e here； kill my bodyguard； you're looking for an all…out war！〃
〃Calm yourself； counselor；〃 Leonforte said。 〃I'm only looking out for my interests。 Just because you allow your balls to run your life doesn't mean I have to go along with your mistakes。〃
He had the eyes of a killer。 A film of red madness danced close to the surface of his irises。 Croaker had seen it many times during his stint on the street。 But there was a difference here； Leonforte had about him an air of calm and calculation that was at odds with the berserk look in his eyes。 It was； Croaker thought； as if he were two men inhabiting the same body。
〃What the hell are you talking about？〃
〃When are you going to wake up； counselor？ You're a fucking amateur trying to make it in a game you can't even begin to prehend〃
〃I don't have to listen to this garbage。 I have private business with this bastard。 What the fuck d'you want with him？〃
〃Let's not overtax that brain of yours。 I tell you what； counselor； why don't you take the ride back across the river in your new Lincoln； which by the way I very much admire； and we'll discuss this another day。〃
〃What？ You think you can waltz onto my turf and order me around？〃
〃Take it easy； counselor。 You need either a dose of Halcion or a good blow job； preferably both。〃
〃You're a dead man； Bad Clams。〃 Tony D。's voice was heavy with the kind of menace that impressed production executives at Paramount and MGM。
Caesare Leonforte； however； was unmoved。 He ducked his tongue as two heavyset men in overcoats appeared。 From beneath their coats they lifted MAC…10 machine pistols。
〃There's no need for an altercation； counselor。 And to show my sincerity； I'll ignore the threat to my person。 I don't want trouble …〃
〃Well； you've fucking got it； buddy。〃
〃… and neither do you。〃
Tony looked from the MAC…l0s to Croaker。 〃I don't believe your luck。〃 Croaker's teeth grated 〃And neither should you。〃
Reduced to parroting Caesare Leonforte； he retreated to the relative safety of the Lincoln。 His face had drained of all blood now。 He looked as if he were going to pass out。 〃You'll wish you'd never set foot here； Bad Clams； that's my fucking promise to you。〃
〃Big man；〃 Leonforte said as Tony drove off。 Then he turned to Croaker and laughed 〃Well； look at you。 All ready for the wringer。〃 He shook his head。 〃That boy was serious。 He means to have your nuts in a sling。〃
〃Yours； too。 That makes us； what； some kind of soul mates？〃
Leonforte regarded Croaker for some time。 〃My God； you're a cool customer。〃 He smirked。 〃Or should I have one of the guys check to see whether you've wet yourself？〃
〃What； no babes around to do the dirty work？〃
Caesare Leonforte threw his head back and laughed； but he sobered up quickly enough。 〃Make a joke of it all you want； but you owe me your life； Mr。 Croaker。 Now I want my quid pro quo。〃
The vibrations filled Nicholas's frame with discordant music。 He was in the back of Chief Inspector Van Kiet's military jeep。 Blindfolded and bound tightly with metal flex； he made calculations based on the ining sensory data。 He heard Van Kiet shouting terse orders for vehicles to pull aside。 He inhaled the scents of fresh eel； cut sugarcane； longan and rambutan； fruits with distinctive smells。
Even without opening his tanjian eye； he had deduced that he was being taken back to Saigon。 Then he was not to be summarily executed； as Van Kiet had intimated。 No doubt an interrogation was planned before they put him in front of a military firing squad。 Forget about a lawyer or even a trial； he knew he was beyond such basic amenities of the civilized world。
He knew what needed to be done。 Shindo was dead； and now； too； was Bay。 At each step he was ing closer to the answer to the riddle of Vincent Tinh's murder。 Now he knew the name of the theoretical…language cyberneticist who had put together the illegal Chi…Hive hybrid puter； a Russian national named Abramanov； who was in hiding somewhere northwest of Saigon。 The Cu Chi tunnels were the halfway point。
He knew what needed to be done now。 Shindo had been convinced that Chief Inspector Van Kiet knew more about Tinh's death than he was acknowledging。 Nicholas knew he needed twenty minutes alone with Van Kiet to extract the information。
Twenty minutes。
He concentrated on the flex binding his wrists and ankles。 He was half…lying across one of the backseats of the jeep。 The flex was no problem。 Though it had been wound tightly； Nicholas had expanded the muscles； tendons； and ligaments in his wrists when he was bound。 Contracting them now gave him enough leeway to find the end of the flex with his fingertips and begin unwinding it。
He was careful about it； even though； with the jouncing of the jeep； he was certain no one would be able to tell what was happening even if he periodically glanced his way。
His hands were free within ten minutes。 Then he began work on the flex around his ankles。 When this dropped away； he moved his head back and forth against the seat back； as if being bounced by the terrible condition of the highway。 The blindfold slowly rose until it slipped off。
And Nicholas found himself staring into Van Kiet's grinning face。 The chief inspector； turned around in his front seat； was pointing a Russian…made pistol at him。
〃No good；〃 he said。 〃You see； I know who you are。 Or； I should say； what you are。 I know the things you are capable of； and believe me when I tell you I will not allow you to do any of them。 I'd sooner put a bullet through your brain right here。〃 As Nicholas shifted； he said； 〃Don't play brinkmanship with me。 I mean everything I say。〃
Opening his tanjian eye； Nicholas knew that in this； at least； Van Kiet was telling the truth。 He relaxed； sat