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！
He leapt catlike onto the rock； gun and light pointing downward together。 He peered into the cavity beneath the boulder。 And then； after staring for a moment； he holstered the gun； dropped down the far side； and laid a hand on the man who was curled in a fetal position in the lee of the rock。 He was a small man； soaking wet； gibbering to himself。 Lying next to him was a regulation…issue set of night…vision goggles and a helmet with an infrared spotter。
At the touch of Pendergast's hand the man crouched farther； covered his head； and squealed。
〃FBI；〃 said Pendergast quietly。 〃Where are you hurt？〃
The man shivered at the sound of his voice； then looked up。 Two red eyes peered unprehendingly out of a face pletely covered with blood。 The man's black jacket sported the yellow insignia of the Kansas State Police K…9 squad。 His lips trembled above a wispy goatee； but the only sound that emerged was more incoherent sobbing。 His pale eyelashes trembled。
Pendergast performed a quick examination。 〃It seems you're unhurt；〃 he said。
The stammering reply did not succeed in reaching the level of intelligibility。
They were wasting time。 Pendergast grabbed the man by the collar of his K…9 suit and hauled him to his feet。 〃Get a grip on yourself； Officer。 What's your name？〃
The sharp tone seemed to stun the man into sensibility。
〃Weeks。 Lefty Weeks。 Robert Weeks。〃 His teeth chattered。
Pendergast released his hold； Weeks staggered but managed to stay upright。
〃Where did the blood e from； Officer Weeks？〃
〃I don't know。〃
〃Officer；〃 Pendergast said； 〃I don't have a lot of time。 There's a killer in here who's kidnapped a girl。 It is vital that I find her…before your friends get her killed。〃
〃Right；〃 said Weeks； swallowing。
Pendergast retrieved the night…vision goggles； found them broken and inoperative； dropped them again。 〃You're ing with me。〃
〃No！ No； please…〃
Pendergast grabbed his shoulders and gave him a shake。 〃Mr。 Weeks； youwill conduct yourself like a police officer。 Is that clear？〃
Weeks swallowed again； struggled to master himself。 〃Yes； sir。〃
〃Stay behind； follow my lead； and keep quiet。〃
〃My God； no！ No； don't go that way 。 。 。 please； sir。It's there。〃
Pendergast turned and looked carefully into the man's face。 He looked traumatized； ruined。 〃It？〃
〃It。 That； thatman。 〃
〃Describe him。〃
〃I can't； Ican't！ 〃 Weeks buried his face in his hands as if to blot out the image。 〃White。 Huge。 All bunched up； like。 Cloudy； cloudy eyes。 Big feet and hands…And 。 。 。and the face！ 〃
〃What about the face？〃
〃Oh； lord Jesus； the face…〃
Pendergast slapped the man。 〃What about the face？〃
〃The face of a 。 。 。 oh； God； of ababy； so 。 。 。 so…〃
Pendergast cut him off。 〃Let's go。〃
〃No！Please； not that way…！〃
〃Suit yourself。〃 Pendergast turned and strode off。 With a yelp； the man scrambled to follow。
Leaving the tumult of broken columns； Pendergast moved into a broad limestone tunnel littered with huge yellow mounds of dripstone。 Weeks stayed behind； cringing and whimpering to himself； afraid to follow Pendergast； but still more afraid to remain alone。 Pendergast's light roamed from dripstone to dripstone； once again following a trail。
And then he stopped。 His light remained fixed on one mound that looked strikingly different from the others。 Its deep yellow was heavily streaked with red； and at its base lay a pool of bright red water。 Something was floating in the water： about the size of a human； but the shape was all wrong。
Weeks had fallen silent。
Pendergast played his light around the cavern wall that rose behind the dripstone mound。 The dark rock was decorated in arcs of crimson； and gobbets of white； red； and yellow hung dripping here and there。 His light finally came to rest on the giant forelimb of what could only be a dog； lodged in a crack about halfway up the wall。 A piece of a lower jaw was wedged nearby； and something that might have been part of a muzzle had struck the sloping wall with enough violence to stick。
〃One of yours？〃 Pendergast asked。
The man nodded dumbly。
〃Did you see this happen？〃
The man nodded again。
Pendergast turned； raising his light to the man's face。 〃What； precisely； did you see？〃
Officer Weeks choked； stammered； and finally got the words out。 〃Hedid it。〃 He paused； swallowed。 And then his voice broke。〃He did it with his bare hands！〃
Sixty…Three
At a nexus of branching tunnels； Hazen waited for the state troopers and Larssen to catch up。 Five minutes passed； then ten； as his labored breathing returned to normal。 It seemed that either they hadn't followed the sound of his voice； or they'd taken a wrong turn somewhere。
Hazen swore； spat。 Raskovich was gone； bolted like a rabbit。 Although Hazen had briefly given chase； he'd been unable to find the guy。 The way the man had been running； he was probably halfway back to KSU already。
Hell。If he couldn't regroup with Larssen and the troopers； he'd have to go after Lefty and the dogs alone。 And that meant returning to the limestone forest； for a start。
But now； as Hazen looked back the way he had e； he wasn't sure just which of the branching tunnels he'd e out of。 He thought it was the one on the right。 But he wasn't sure。
Hazen swallowed； cleared his throat。 〃Lefty？〃
Silence。
〃Larssen？〃
He cupped his hands in the direction of his backtrail and bellowed； 〃Hey！ Anybody！ If you can hear me； sing out！〃
Silence。
〃Anybody there？ Respond！〃
Despite the chilly air and the incessant wetness； Hazen felt a prickly sensation along his spine。 He looked back the way he had e； looked around； looked ahead。 The night…vision goggles gave everything a pale； reddish； unreal look； like he was on Mars。 He checked his belt and confirmed what he already feared： he'd lost his flashlight during the chase。
The whole operation was fucked up。 They'd gotten separated。 Raskovich was lost； the whereabouts of Larssen unknown； the condition of Lefty and the dogs uncertain。 At the very least； McFelty knew they were there。 If he was dead； or injured 。 。 。 Hazen figured he had enough to deal with without dreaming up a lot of hypotheticals。
The thing to do was to get everyone back together； get a situation report； take stock。
Shit； it was hard to remember which of those holes he had e outof。 。 。
He examined the cave floor for footprints or marks； but it seemed as if each of the tunnels had been heavily trafficked。 And that alone was very strange。
He ran over what had happened in his mind； trying to recall landmarks。 It was all vague； he'd been concentrating on catching the fleeing Raskovich。 Still； on balance it seemed to him that he'd most likely e from that passage on the right。
He walked down it about fifty feet。 There were some broken stalactite pieces scattered here； like teeth。 He didn't remember those。 Had he just run past them too fast？
Son of a bitch。
He went farther； but still nothing looked familiar。 With a curse he returned to the pillared cave and took one of the other tunnels。 He proceeded slowly； straining to remember； feeling his heart starting to beat a little fast。 Nothing looked familiar。 The dripping rocks； the feathery cr