Steal The Sun(战争间谍)-第58章

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swear　it　on　my　mother’s　grave！”
Finn　looked　impassively　at　Velasquez。　“Let　him　go。”
Riley　released　Velasquez　so　quickly　that　the　Mexican　staggered。　Coughlan　started　to　berate
Riley；　who　turned　his　back　on　everyone　and　watched　the　two　nearby　agents　shoveling　out　a
day…old　grave。　Their　suitcoats　had　been　put　aside；　folded　neatly　inside　out　to　prevent　grass
stains。　Shoulder　holsters　were　coiled　on　top　of　the　coats　like　sleeping　reptiles。
As　Coughlan　led　Velasquez　aorning　sunlight；　alternately
rubbing　and　stretching　the　muscles　in　his　shoulder。　From　the　open　grave　came　the　sound　of　a
shovel　rasping　along　a　coffin　lid。　With　a　sigh；　Finn　bent　over　and　picked　up　his　radiation
counter。
“Back　to　work；　Riley。”
As　Riley　turned　toward　the　grave；　a　movement　up　the　hill　caught　his　eye。　A　man　was　walking
over　the　crest　of　the　hill　carrying　a　bouquet　of　flowers。　He　threaded　among　the　crowded
headstones　without　looking　up；　apparently　unaware　of　the　activity　just　down　the　hill。　To　all
appearances；　he　was　simply　a　mourner　who　had　come　to　lay　flowers　on　a　grave。
Riley　looked　away；　then　back　suddenly。　Something　was　wrong。　The　flowers　in　the　man’s　left
hand　were　old；　petals　falling　like　pastel　rain；　revealing　a　bright　shine　of　metal　in　the　right　hand
hidden　behind　the　bouquet。
“Finn！”　yelled　Riley。
Finn’s　reflexes　responded　instantly。　He　threw　himself　to　one　side；　rolling　and　drawing　his　gun。
Two　closely　spaced　shots　exploded　through　the　graveyard　silence。　A　bullet　plowed　up　dirt
where　Finn　had　been　an　instant　before。　Finn’s　return　fire　blazed　uphill；　seeking　a　target　in　the
thicket　of　granite　headstones。　Lead　screamed　from　stone　to　stone。
As　he　fired；　Finn　rolled　into　the　shelter　of　the　open　grave。　One　agent　flung　himself　out　of　the
grave；　clawing　for　his　gun。　A　shot　picked　up　the　agent　and　slammed　him　onto　the　grass　a　few
feet　away；　dead。　The　second　agent　crouched　at　the　far　end　of　the　grave；　out　of　Finn’s　way。
Riley　was　down　in　front　of　the　grave；　clutching　his　left　leg；　his　hand　bright　with　blood。　Thirty
yards　above　him；　faded　flowers　lay　in　a　fan；　dropped　by　the　man　as　he　dove　for　cover　from
Finn’s　return　fire。　As　Riley　brought　up　his　gun；　the　attacker　took　aim　over　a　baroque　angel。
“Stay　down；　Riley！”　yelled　Finn；　firing　as　he　spoke。
Granite　chips　scored　the　man’s　cheek。　He　ducked　back　behind　the　thick　stone　marker。
Finn　watched　the　marker　over　the　sights　of　his　pistol；　waiting　for　any　flicker　of　movement。
Whoever　the　attacker　was；　he　was　no　amateur。　He　had　the　advantages　of　surprise；　uphill　position
and　cover。　It　was　the　kind　of　assassination　Masarek　would　have　planned；　but　he　was　dead。　The
killer　was　probably　his　replacement；　trained　by　the　NKVD。
Out　of　the　corner　of　Finn’s　eye；　he　saw　that　Riley　was　down。　Blood　welled　from　his　thigh　in
rhythmic　spurts。　He　was　behind　the　thin　cover　of　a　knee…high　cross。　He　had　his　pistol　in　one
hand　and　was　trying　unsuccessfully　to　stop　the　flow　of　blood　with　the　other。　If　he　did　not　get
help　fast；　he　would　bleed　to　death。
Finn　fired　once；　taking　another　notch　out　of　the　grave　marker　that　concealed　the　attacker。
Immediately；　the　man　fired　from　the　other　side　of　the　marker；　a　shot　that　kicked　dirt　into　the
grave。　Finn　ducked　and　heard　another　shot；　followed　by　a　sharp　cry　from　Riley。
“Six；”　said　Finn；　tearing　off　his　jacket。　“Come　o？；　Coughlan！　Where　the　hell　are　you！”　He　flung
his　jacket　over　the　edge　of　the　grave。　When　no　bullets　came；　he　leaped　out；　firing　a　shot　to　keep
the　attacker　off…balance。
As　Finn　dragged　Riley　to　cover；　the　other　agent　swarmed　out　of　the　grave；　snatched　his　gun　and
dove　back　in。　Bullets　screamed　around　the　grave　again。　The　attacker　had　reloaded　quickly。
Finn　threw　himself　across　Riley　and　fired　two　quick　shots　that　sent　the　man　scrambling　back　for
cover。　By　touch　alone；　Finn　snatched　a　fresh　clip　from　his　belt　and　slapped　it　into　his　。45。　His
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eyes　scanned　the　close　ranks　of　granite　monuments；　looking　for　a　hint　of　movement。
From　fifty　yards　to　Finn’s　right　came　three　shots；　Coughlan　firing　as　he　ran　uphill。　To　be
protected　from　the　new　angle　of　attack；　or　to　counter　it；　the　man　had　to　change　position。　Finn
raised　his　gun；　waiting；　his　hand　steady。　The　attacker　gathered　himself；　took　two　long　steps；　and
dove　for　the　cover　of　a　blank…eyed；　eight…foot…tall　angel。
Finn’s　three　shots　echoed　as　one；　a　continuous　roll　of　sound。　The　man　twisted　in　midair；　arms
flung　out　and　legs　limp；　as　bullets　shattered　his　spine。　His　body　slammed　against　the　eroded
granite　angel　and　slid　down　to　the　damp　green　grass。
From　the　grave；　the　agent　poured　bullets　into　the　body。　Ricochets　whined　among　the
headstones。　Finn　did　not　even　look　up；　he　knew　that　the　man　was　dead。
In　a　single　movement；　Finn　rolled　off　Riley；　pulled　a　knife　out　of　his　boot；　and　opened　up　Riley’s
bloodstained　pantleg　with　a　sweep　of　the　blade。
Arterial　blood　leaped　and　ebbed；　marking　each　quick　beat　of　Riley’s　heart。　Finn’s　thumb　sank
into　Riley’s　thigh　just　below　his　crotch；　squeezing　down　on　the　ruptured　artery。　The　leap　of
blood　dwindled　to　a　slow　seep　of　scarlet　a　few　inches　below　Finn’s　hand。
Riley　groaned　and　tried　to　sit　up。
“Don’t　move；　hero；”　said　Finn。　“A　bullet　nicked　your　artery。”
Riley　looked　at　the　bright　patches　of　blood　smeared　across　his　legs　and　Finn’s　hands。　He　stared
at　F；inn；　then　at　the　open　grave。
“At　least　you　won’t　have　to　carry　me　far；”　Riley　said；　trying　to　smile。
“Shut　up；”　said　Finn；　but　his　voice　was　gentle。　“And　if　you　ever　again　yell　a　warning　before　you
hit　the　dirt；　I’ll　shoot　you　myself。”
Riley’s　face　twisted　with　pain。　He　closed　his　eyes　and　his　breath　sighed　out。
Coughlan　ran　up；　panting。　He　looked　at　the　blood　covering　Riley　and　spilling　over　onto　Finn。
“How　bad　is　it？”
“The　agent　over　there　is　dead。　As　long　as　I　keep　Riley　under　my　thumb；　he　has　a　chance。”
Coughlan　looked　at　Riley’s　white　face　and　the　blood　welling　slowly　beneath　Finn’s　hand。　“So
you’re　a　goddamn　doctor；　too。”
“Use　your　mouth　to　get　an　ambulance。　My　hand　is　getting　tired。”
Coughlan　hesitated；　reluctant　to　leave　Riley。　Finally　he　ran　toward　his　car。　The　agent　left　in　the
grave　slowly　climbed　out　and　walked　up　the　hill　toward　the　man　sprawled　at　the　foot　of　the
blind　gray　angel。
Riley’s　head　moved　as　his　eyes　fluttered　open。
“Finn…”
“Don’t　talk。”
“Gotta　know；”　whispered　Riley。
“You’re　going　to　be　fine。”
“Not　that；”　Riley　said；　his　voice　weak；　his　eyes　trying　to　focus　on　Finn。　“That　Mexican…　in　the
winery。　You　didn’t　really…　cut　off　his…”
Riley　went　limp。　Only　the　slow；　bright　welling　of　blood　from　the　wound　in　his　thigh　told　Finn
that　the　agent　was　still　alive。
In　the　distance　came　the　first　thin　wailings　of　sirens　closing　in　on　the　graveyard’s　green　hills。
Northern　California
31　Hours　3　Minutes　After　Trinity
Even　in　mid…July；　Tioga　Pass　was　a　frigid　spectacle　of　ice　fields　and　granite　peaks。　The　road　was
a　narrow　gravel　ribbon　twisting　across　steep　rocky　ridges。　Where　avalanches　or　rockslidcs　had
occurred；　the　road　diminished　to　a　rutted　trail　gouged　out　by　road　crews。　The　road　had　been　all
but　destroyed　by　winter。　Potholes　big　enough　to　snap　an　axle　were　common。
Kestrel　drove　with　singular　concentration；　sparing　only　a　glance　at　the　slate…gray　turbulence　of
clouds　building　around　the　nearby　peaks。　July　blizzards　were　not　unknown　in　the　high　Sierras；
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the　wind　was　tipped　with　ice。
The　black　Chevrolet　lunged　from　curve　to　curve；　laboring　under　the　demands　of　the　road　and
the　altitude。　Sudden　lightning　stalked　the　heights　and　thunder　belled　deafeningly。　Hail　came　in　a
brutal　fall　that　drowned　out　even　the　thunder。
Ana　stared　at　the　unforgiving　landscape　as　it　turned　pale　beneath　the　onslaught　of　ice。　The　car
slid　sickeningly；　scraped　along　a　cliff　wall　and　lurched　back　to　the　center　of　the　narrow　road。　A
rear　wheel　thumped　into　a　pothole。
The　car　bounced　wildly；　slamming　Ana　first　toward　the　windshield　and　then　against　the　door。
Only　Kestrel’s　grip　on　the　steering　wheel　kept　him　in　his　seat。　The　undercarriage　banged　and
squealed　against　rocks　concealed　by　hail。
In　the　trunk；　uranium　danced。
Tuolumne　Meadow　was　all　but　hidden　by　clouds　and