Steal The Sun(战争间谍)-第67章

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around　a　handful　of　sand；　Finn　inched　forward。　When　Vanessa　pulled　the　trigger；　he　wanted　to
be　close　enough　to　crush　her　neck　with　the　edge　of　his　hand。　At　the　very　least；　he　had　to　be　close
enough　to　hurl　sand　into　her　eyes。
“There’s　another　piece　of　uranium；”　said　Kestrel。　“Tell　her；　Ana！”
“There’s　another　bucket　over　there；”　Ana　told　Vanessa；　oblivious　to　death　poised　behind　her。
The　gun　retreated。　“Get　it。”
Ana　hurried　to　the　next　clump　of　sagebrush。
Kestrel　had　listened　to　Vanessa；　and　watched。　He　knew　she　would　begin　killing　the　instant　the
second　piece　of　uranium　was　uncovered。　He　shifted　his　stance；　preparing　for　a　desperate　leap　at
Vanessa；　knowing　she　was　too　far　away　to　reach。
“Do　you　have　it？”　Vanessa　called　to　Ana。
“No。”
“Dig　faster！”
Finn　eased　forward　while　Vanessa’s　attention　was　on　Ana。　Kestrel　seemed　to　anticipate　the
movement；　and　cooperate。　Finn　wondered　if　Kestrel’s　plan　was　the　same　as　his　own：　kill
Vanessa　and　then　kill　the　enemy　tied　to　him。
“I’ve　found　it！”
Finn　started　to　launch　himself　at　Vanessa；　but　she　turned　too　quickly。
“Stand　still　or　die　right　now；”　Vanessa　ordered。　The　pistol　pointed　directly　at　Finn’s　heart。　He
and　Kestrel　stood　very　quietly；　closer　to　Vanessa　than　they　had　been；　but　not　close　enough。
“Bring　it　here；”　Vanessa　said　without　looking　away　from　the　men。
Ana　yanked　the　bucket　out　of　its　shallow　hole。　Sand；　pebbles　and　the　foil…wrapped　uranium
spilled　out　as　she　upended　the　bucket　at　Vanessa’s　feet。　She　looked　down；　not　trusting　Ana。　The
instant　Vanessa’s　attention　moved；　the　men　crept　forward　a　few　more　inches。　They　were　less
than　eight　feet　from　the　women。
Finn　felt　the　sudden　tension　in　Kestrel’s　body　as　the　large　piece　of　uranium　thumped　down　close
to　its　deadly　mate。　He　remembered　the　accident　at　the　Los　Alamos　lab；　and　sweat　covered　his
body　despite　the　cold　wind。　Kestrel　stared；　looking　for　a　faint　blush　of　blue　light。
Vanessa　glanced　at　the　two　foil…wrapped　parcels；　irregular　and　lumpy。　She　smiled　and　brought
the　muzzle　to　bear　on　the　back　of　Ana’s　neck　as　Ana　bent　over　the　uranium。
“Don’t　be　so　eager；”　said　Finn。　“Or　do　you　plan　on　handling　the　uranium　by　yourself？”　His
voice　was　directed　to　Vanessa；　his　free　hand　was　clamped　on　Kestrel’s　wrist　to　hold　him　back。
“What　are　you　talking　about？”　said　Vanessa。　She　switched　her　pistol　to　her　left　hand　and　pointed
it　at　the　men。
Finn　took　a　half…step　forward　and　laughed。　“You　don’t　know　much　about　uranium；　do　you？”
“No　closer！”
Finn　stood　still。　The　muzzle　of　the　pistol　was　trained　on　his　heart。　For　a　moment　there　was　no
sound　but　the　wind。　Vanessa　watched　him　unblinkingly。　She　knew　that　uranium　could　be　deadly；
。but　she　had　no　idea　of　its　threshold　of　danger。　Nor　could　she　trust　Finn　to　tell　the　truth。　All　she
could　do　was　watch　his　reactions　as　Ana　handled　the　metal。
“Unwrap　it；”　she　ordered；　prodding　Ana　with　her　foot。
“No；”　whispered　Kestrel。
Vanessa　did　not　hear。　Nor　did　Ana。　Finn　did。　He　felt　Kestrel　tense　and　knew　that　something　was
going　to　happen　with　the　uranium　–　what　was　it　General　Groves　had　said？　Light；　some　heat　and
a　lot　of　radiation　if　the　two　pieces　were　brought　together。　Was　that　what　Kestrel　was　waiting　for；
a　flash　of　light　that　would　startle　Vanessa？　He　felt　Kestrel’s　sweat　where　their　legs　were　bound
together。
“I　hope　you　know　what　you’re　doing；”　he　said；　as　though　talking　to　Vanessa。
“Shut　up！”　–　Ana　took　the　smaller　parcel　and　began　to　unwrap　it。　The　soft　foil；　battered　by
rough　handling；　fell　away　in　pieces　beneath　her　fingers。　The　uranium　she　uncovered　had　a
nacreous　shine　in　the　moonlight。　She　reached　for　the　second　piece。
Finn　and　Kestrel　stood　as　one　man；　poised；　waiting　for　an　opening。　They　watched　each　layer　fall
away　from　the　larger　piece　of　uranium。　As　Ana　worked　off　the　last　layer；　the　heavy　rounded
metal　slipped　from　her　hands。　It　fell　on　top　of　its　mate　with　a　metallic　clang。　It　did　not　roll　away。
Blue　light　leaped　from　the　union；　a　primal　flash　of　energy　that　was　as　deadly　as　it　was
unexpected。

“What？”　Instinctively　Vanessa　raised　her　hand　to　shield　herself　from　the　uncanny　blue　light。
Finn　and　Kestrel　leaped　for　her。　Finn’s　handful　of　sand　scoured　across　Vanessa’s　face；　ruining
her　aim　as　she　brought　her　gun　up。　The　shot　passed　over　their　heads。　Before　she　could　fire　again；
the　two　men　were　on　her。
Finn　grabbed　her　right　wrist　as　she　went　down　beneath　them。　He　forced　her　pistol　up　and　away
from　his　face；　trying　to　break　her　wrist　at　the　same　time。　Her　free　hand　dug　at　his　shoulder
wound；　agony　weakened　his　grip。　Kestrel’s　thumbs　hooked　upward；　seeking　her　eyes。　She　threw
back　her　head　and　his　thumbnails　gouged　across　her　cheekbones。
Off…balance；　the　three　of　them　sprawled　on　the　sand。　The　pistol　fired　again；　a　vicious　spitting
sound。　They　rolled　and　kicked；　each　clawing　for　leverage；　an　opening；　the　single　instant　needed
to　deliver　a　killing　blow。
Kestrel’s　weight　yanked　Finn　aside。　The　knot　binding　them　slipped；　allowing　the　scarf　to　drop
below　their　knees。　The　edge　of　Kestrel’s　hand　chopped　at　Vanessa’s　throat。　She　twisted　aside；
taking　the　blow　on　her　shoulder　and　throwing　Kestrel　off…balance。　He　fell；　knocking　Finn’s　hand
off　Vanessa’s　wrist；　freeing　the　pistol。　Finn　clawed　at　the　ground；　seeing　another　handful　of　sand
to　blind　her　with。
His　fingers　closed　around　something　hard　and　heavy　and　warm。　Even　as　he　picked　it　up；　arm
straight　and　swinging　like　a　club；　he　knew　he　was　holding　the　smaller　piece　of　uranium。　The
pistol　spat　in　the　same　second　that　Vanessa’s　skull　fragmented　beneath　the　smashing　force　of　the
uranium　in　Finn’s　hand。
Kestrel　jerked　once　and　groaned。　Vanessa　did　not　move　at　all。　Finn　rolled　away　immediately；
going　after　Kestrel；　his　hands　seeking　Kestrel’s　throat。　The　Japanese　did　not　respond。　Finn’s
fingers　met　slick　warm　blood。　He　tore　free　of　the　scarf　that　bound　him　to　Kestrel　and　came　to
his　feet；　the　uranium　still　in　his　hand。　It　had　been　less　than　thirty　seconds　since　the　uranium　had
leaped　with　blue　light。
The　uranium　in　his　hand　showed　a　black　rime　in　the　moonlight　–　Vanessa’s　blood。　She　lay　on　her
back；　her　eyes　open　and　empty　as　the　wind。　The　first　primitive　exhilaration　of　survival　swept
through　Finn。　The　battle　to　control　the　world　had　been　fought　here；　in　the　desert；　using　fists　and
fingernails　–　and　he　had　won。
Ana　moaned；　a　sound　neither　male　nor　female；　fear　and　pain　rending　the　silence。　She　crawled　to
Kestrel’s　side；　unaware　of　the　blood　welling　from　her　scalp　where　a　fragment　of　bullet　had　split
flesh　to　the　bone。

Finn　took　Vanessa’s　gun　from　her　slack　fingers　and　walked　over　to　Ana。　She　did　not　look　up；
simply　held　Kestrel　and　cried；　blood　mingling　with　tears　on　her　face。　Finn　knelt　and　pressed　his
fingers　against　Kestrel’s　neck；　seeking　a　pulse。　He　thought　he　found　one；　but　could　not　be
certain；　his　own　heart　was　beating　so　violently。
Slowly；　Finn　got　to　his　feet；　still　holding　the　small　piece　of　uranium。　He　put　it　in　one　pail；　then
picked　up　the　larger　piece　and　put　it　in　the　second　pail。　For　a　moment　he　stood　motionless；
wrapped　ín　wind；　listening　to　Ana　weep。　The　intoxication　of　victory　began　to　ebb；　leaving　room
for　pain。　His　wounded　shoulder　burned　and　his　body　ached　from　blows　he　did　not　remember
receiving。　He　bent　over　and　took　the　weight　of　the　buckets。　They　were　heavier　than　he　had
expected；　unreasonably　heavy。　The　metal　handles　cut　into　his　flesh。
“I’ll　come　back；”　he　said。
Ana　neither　looked　up　nor　answered。
Finn　turned　away　and　walked　toward　Manzanar；　carrying　thousands　of　deaths　and　2　million　lives
in　his　hands。





　　　　　　　　　（The　End）



。　…　。………【gzbysh】整理