cp.reddice-第5部分

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　　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　like　his　looks。　The　searchlight　goes　next。　I　take　aim　on　the　fuel　tank。　As　I　said；　I　enjoy　fireworks；　wicked　explosions。　When　I　pull　the　trigger　on　the　shotgun；　the　chopper　detonates　in　a　huge　fireball。　The　pilot　screams；　the　flames　engulfing　his　body。　The　other　man　is　blown　out　the　side　door；　in　pieces。　The　life　goes　out　of　the　machine　and　it　sinks　to　the　ground。　Far　below　I　hear　people　crying。　Far　above；　to　my　right；　I　hear　the　other　two　helicopters　veer　away。　They　have　lost　enthusiasm　for　the　fight。
　　On　the　way　to　the　elevator；　I　pass　a　custodian。　He　hardly　looks　up。　Despite　my　blood　and　artillery；　he　wishes　me　a　good　evening。　I　smile　at　him。
　　〃You　have　a　good　night；〃　I　say。
　　The　elevator　takes　me　to　the　top　floor；　and　from　there　it　is　not　hard　to　find　a　private　access　ladder　onto　the　roof。　Not　one　but　two　helicopters　wait　to　fly　us　to　freedom。　Both　are　jet　powered　and　I　am　pleased。　They　will　at　least　be　as　fast　as　the　cops'　choppers；　if　not　faster。　Unfortunately　there's　a　security　guard　on　duty。　An　old　guy；　obviously　working　the　night　shift　to　supplement　a　meager　retirement；　he　takes　one　look　at　me　and　hurries　over。　He　has　a　handgun　but　doesn't　draw　it。　His　glasses　are　remarkably　thick；　he　squints　through　the　lenses　as　he　looks　me　up　and　down。
　　〃Are　you　a　cop？〃　he　asks。
　　I　don't　have　the　heart　to　lie　to　him。　〃No。　I'm　the　bad　guy。　I'm　the　one　who　just　blew　that　chopper　out　of　the　sky。〃
　　He　is　awestruck。　〃I　watched　you　jumping　from　building　to　building。　How　do　you　do　that？〃
　　〃Steroids。〃
　　He　slaps　his　leg。　〃I　knew　it！　The　drugs　young　people　are　taking　these　days。　What　do　you　want？　One　of　these　choppers？〃
　　I　point　my　shotgun　at　him。　〃Yes。　Please　give　me　the　keys。　I　don't　want　to　have　to　kill　you。〃
　　He　quickly　raises　his　hands。　〃You　don't　have　to　do　that。　The　keys　are　in　the　ignitions。　Do　you　know　how　to　fly　a　helicopter？〃
　　I　turn　my　weapon　aside。　〃Yes。　I've　been　taking　lessons。　Don't　worry　about　me。〃
　　He　walks　me　to　the　closest　chopper；　a　Bell　230。　〃This　baby　has　a　range　of　over　three　hundred　miles。　You　want　to　get　far　out　of　town。　The　radio　and　TV　are　babbling　about　you；　calling　you　a　band　of　Arab　terrorists。〃
　　I　laugh　as　I　climb　into　the　cockpit。　〃You　do　nothing　to　destroy　their　illusions。　Just　tell　them　you　were　overwhelmed　by　superior　forces。　You　don't　want　people　to　know　a　young　woman　stole　a　helicopter　out　from　under　your　nose。〃
　　〃And　a　blond　one　at　that；〃　he　agrees。　〃You　take　care！〃
　　He　closes　the　door　for　me　and　I'm　off。
　　Picking　up　Joel　proves　to　be　the　easiest　part　of　the　night。　The　police　helicopters　are　holding　back…over　a　mile　away。　They　aren't　used　to　being　blown　out　of　the　sky。　The　fire　from　the　last　downed　chopper　spreads　over　the　front　of　the　skyscraper。　In　the　distance　I　see　smoke　from　the　first　chopper。　Joel　shakes　his　head　as　he　climbs　in。
　　〃They'll　never　stop　hunting　us　after　this；〃　he　says。
　　〃I　don't　know；〃　I　jest。　〃They　might　be　afraid　to　e　after　me。〃
　　We　head　northeast。　I'm　anxious　to　get　out　of　the　suburban　sprawl　and　into　the　wild；　somewhere　we　can　disappear。　The　nearby　mountains　are　a　possibility。　Our　chopper　is　fast；　capable　of　going　two　hundred　miles　an　hour。　To　my　surprise；　the　police　helicopters　don't　really　pursue　us。　It's　not　just　because　we're　faster　than　they　are…a　fact　I　have　to　question。　They　allow　the　gap　to　grow　between　us　to　at　least　twenty　miles。　The　length　of　the　space　doesn't　reassure　me　because　I　know　they　still　have　us　under　visual　observation。
　　Nothing　will　be　gained　by　plunging　low　to　the　ground；　below　the　radar。　They　are　waiting　for　something；　biding　their　time。
　　〃Reinforcements；〃　I　mutter　as　we　swoop　over　the　sleeping　city　at　an　elevation　of　a　thousand　feet。
　　Joel　nods。　〃They've　called　for　bigger　guns。〃
　　〃Army　helicopters？〃
　　〃Probably。〃
　　〃Which　direction　will　they　e　from？〃
　　〃There　is　a　large　base　south　of　here。　You　might　want　to　head　north。〃
　　〃I　was　planning　to　do　so　after　I　reached　the　Cajon　Pass。〃　The　pass　cuts　into　the　desert；　also　a　nice　place　to　hide。　Highway　IS　runs　through　the　pass；　and　if　followed　far　enough；　leads　to　Las　Vegas。
　　〃You　might　not　want　to　wait　that　long；〃　Joel　advises。
　　〃I　understand。〃　Yet　the　temptation　to　put　more　distance　between　us　and　our　pursuers　is　great。　It　gives　me　the　illusion　of　safety；　a　dangerous　illusion。　But　the　farther　we　go；　the　more　the　desert　beckons　me。　Being　winter；　the　mountains　are　covered　with　snow；　and　even　though　I　am　highly　resistant　to　cold；　I　don't　like　it。　At　our　present　speed　Cajon　Pass　is　not　far　ahead。　Once　over　it；　we　will　be　clear　of　the　city；　able　to　roam　free。
　　I　ask　the　question　I　have　been　waiting　to　ask。
　　〃Are　you　thirsty？〃
　　He　is　guarded。　〃What　do　you　mean？〃
　　I　glance　over。　〃How　do　you　feel？〃
　　He　takes　a　deep　breath。　〃Feverish。　Cramping。〃
　　I　nod。　〃You　need　blood。〃
　　He　takes　time　to　absorb　my　words。　〃Do　you　really　drink　people's　blood？　Like　in　the　stories？〃
　　〃The　stories　have　germs　of　truth　in　them；　but　can't　be　taken　literally。　As　a　vampire；　you　do　need　blood　to　survive。　Yet　you　do　not　need　to　kill　the　person　you　drink　from；　and　your　contact　with　them　will　not　change　them　into　vampires。　You　can　also　live　off　the　blood　of　animals；　although　you　will　find　it　unsatisfying。〃
　　〃Do　I　need　blood　every　day？〃
　　〃No。　Every　few　days。　But　at　first；　you　will　crave　it　every　day。〃
　　〃What　happens　if　I　don't　drink　it？〃
　　〃You　will　die　horribly；〃　I　say。
　　〃Oh。　Do　I　still　need　to　eat　regular　food？〃
　　〃Yes。　You　will　get　hungry　as　before。　But　if　need　be；　you　will　be　able　to　survive　for　a　long　time　without　food。　You　will　also　be　able　to　hold　your　breath　for　incredible　lengths　of　time。〃
　　〃But　what　about　the　sun？　You　sat　out　in　the　sun　with　me。〃
　　〃Yes。　But　that　is　not　something　you　want　to　try　yet。　The　sun　won't　kill　you；　but　it　will　irritate　you；　at　least　for　the　first　few　centuries。　Even　now；　after　five　thousand　years；　I'm　not　nearly　so　strong　while　the　sun　is　up。　But　forget　everything　else　you've　heard　about　vampires。　Crucifixes　and　white　roses　and　running　water…none　of　those　will　bother　you。　Bram　Stoker　was　just　spicing　up　his　novel　when　he　wrote　that　stuff。〃　I　pause。　〃Did　you　know　I　met　him　once？〃
　　〃Did　you　tell　him　you　were　a　vampire？〃
　　〃No；　but　he　knew　there　was　something　special　about　me。　He　autographed　my　copy　of　Dracula　and　tried　to　get　my　address。　But　I　didn't　give　it　to　him。〃　I　raise　my　wrist　to　my　mouth。　〃I　am　going　to　open　my　vein。　I　want　you　to　suck　my　blood　for　a　few　minutes。〃
　　He　fidgets。　〃Sounds　kinky。〃
　　〃You'll　enjoy　it。　I　taste　wonderful。〃
　　A　moment　later　Joel　reluctantly　accepts　my　bleeding　wrist；　but　he　is　no　Ray。　He　has　seen　plenty　of　blood　in　his　line　of　work　and　it　doesn't　make　him　sick　to　his　stomach。　Indeed；　after　a　couple　of　minutes　he　is　sucking　hungrily　on　my　wrist。　I　have　to　stop　him　before　he　is　sated。　I　cannot　allow　my　strength　to　wane。
　　〃How　do　you　feel？〃　I　ask　as　I　take　back　my　arm。
　　〃Powerful。　Aroused。〃
　　I　have　to　laugh。　〃Not　every　girl　you　meet　will　be　able　to　do　that　for　you。〃
　　〃Can　we　be　killed　with　a　stake　through　the　heart？〃
　　The　laughter　dies　in　my　throat。　His　question　brings　back　the　agony　of　the　wound　I　suffered　when　my　house　exploded　and　Yaksha　supposedly　died。　The　chest　pain　is　still　there…yet；　since　drinking　Yaksha's　blood；　it　has　receded。　I　wonder　what　Yaksha　would　think　of　me　now　that　I　have　broken　Krishna's　vow　against　creating　more　vampires。　After　I　have　killed　so　many　innocent　people。　No　doubt　he　would　say　I　am　damned。
　　I　miss　Yaksha。　And　Ray。　And　Krishna。
　　〃You　can　be　killed　that　way；〃　I　say　quietly。
　　Ten　minutes　later　we　reach　the　gap　in　the　mountains　and　I　veer　north；　climbing　in　altitude。　The　pass　is　almost　a　mile　above　sea　level。　The　police　helicopters　are　now　thirty　miles　behind　us；　blinking　red　and　white　dots　in　the　night　sky。　We　have　at　most　four　hours　of　night　left。　Before　then；　I　must　find　shelter　for　Joel　and　a　place　to　sit　quietly　and　plot　my　next　moves。　Scanning　left　and　right；　I　consider　dumping　the　helicopter。　The　cliffs　of　the　pass　offer　more　hiding　places　than　the　desert　will。　Yet　I　don't　want　to　set　down　so　soon。　Another　idea　has　e　to　me；　one　that　may　throw　our　pursuers　off。
　　What　if　I　were　to　crash　the　helicopter　into　a　lake？
　　It　would　sink　and　hopefully　leave　no　sign　behind。
　　The　plan　is　a　good　one。　Fuel　dictates　I　choose　the　closest　lake；　Big　Bear　or　Arrowhead。　But　once　again　I　resist　heading　into　the　snowy　mountains。　As　a　newborn；　Joel　will　not　fare　well　there。　I　remember　how　sensitive　I　was　to　the　cold　after　Yaksha　changed　me。　Vampires；　serpents；　the　offspring　of　yakshinis…we　prefer　warmth。
　　I　need　a　sand　dune　oasis　with　a　lake　in　the　center　of　it。
　　We　plunge　over　the　pass　and　into　the　desert。
　　The　bleak　landscape　sweeps　beneath　us。
　　Time　passes。　I　cannot　see　anyone　following。
　　〃We　can't　stay　up　here　forever；〃　Joel　says　finally。
　　〃I　know。〃
　　〃What　are　you　waiting　for？〃
　　〃Lake　Mead。〃　Hoover　Dam…it　is　only　twenty　minutes　away；　I　estimate。
　　But　I　have　waited　too　long。
　　Fiv