Chapter 20 Chapter 20 Secret Plan

"If you want to meet Antonio that much, you just have to tell me," Marisa said as she walked into the hospital room. Andrew looked at her without answering. "Well, I admit to you, this is not the time for humor, and I'm sorry," she added, "but the way they treat you is really special, and you're lucky to see the news on the Internet and get out unscathed. " "It's all about perspective! The blade is only ten centimeters from my kidney. What a strange concept doctors have about luck." “The police say you just ran into thieves who were breaking into your room; they told me this is happening more and more now. They rummage through laptops, passports, everything of value that tourists leave in hotels.”

"Do you believe this explanation?" "No." "Okay, now we're on the sidelines." "Do you have a computer in your room?" "No, I still work the way I used to, with pen and paper." "They didn't take anything with them when they left. I packed your luggage for you, and now they are all safely in my home." "Did you find my notebook?" "yes." Andrew breathed a sigh of relief. "If you're going to confront Ortiz next Tuesday, you'd better take a break. Are you still pro-nonviolence?"

"I'm not here to rest." Andrew said and sat up from the hospital bed. Pain contorted his face, and he felt dizzy again.Marisa hurried forward to support him.She straightened up the pillow, helped Andrew to sit more comfortably, and handed him a glass of water. "I already have a patient in the hospital... It seems that being a nurse is more suitable for me than being a bartender." "How is your boyfriend doing now?" "There's another operation to be done next week." "And what do the doctors say about me?" "They asked you to rest for a few days, Mr. Steelman," said Dr. Herra, entering the ward. "You have narrowly escaped death."

The doctor approached the bed and looked at Andrew's face. "You could have lost an eye. Luckily, the shards of the mirror didn't hurt critical areas, and you just had some edema, which will subside in a few days. We've stitched up the wound on your lower back, and my intern assured there No scars will be left. On the contrary, your overall physical condition is not optimistic. I suggest you stay in the hospital for observation for a few days and undergo various supplementary examinations." "What kind of inspection?" "All the tests I thought were necessary. I'm concerned about internal bleeding elsewhere in your body. How were you feeling before the accident?"

"It's really not very good." Andrew admitted truthfully. "Have you had any health problems recently?" Andrew thought about it. "Recently" was not an appropriate adverbial of time, but how was it possible to tell Dr. Herra that what he was experiencing now was the aftereffects of a near-death situation, and that the murder would be weeks away? "Mr Steelman?" "Back pains alternated with discomfort, and I always felt cold all over my body." "Maybe it's just a vertebral problem, although it's not easy to cure it. I believe you must have internal bleeding symptoms. I won't release you from the hospital until you're fully recovered."

"I must get out of bed next Monday at the latest." "We'll do our best. You're almost going to be in the hospital forever. So enjoy being alive, you're getting the best service in Buenos Aires here. We'll get you in this afternoon Do an abdominal ultrasound, and if there are no abnormalities, I will arrange for you to have an X-ray. Now please rest well, and I will come back to see you when I am about to leave work." Dr. Herra exited the ward, leaving Andrew and Marisa alone. "Is my mobile phone with you?" Andrew asked. Marisa took out Andrew's mobile phone from her pocket and handed it to him.

"You should notify your newspaper," she suggested. "Of course not, they'll call me back at once; I don't want anyone to know what happened to me." "The police have launched an investigation. It is estimated that when your condition improves, they will come to make a record for you soon." "It's useless to investigate, isn't it, so what's the point of wasting time?" "Because that's what the law says." "Marisa, I won't miss my meeting with Ortiz again." "Why 'again'"? "nothing."

"Take a good rest as the doctor said. Maybe you'll feel better by the weekend. I'll tell my uncle to wait for you for a few more days." On Thursday, ultrasounds, X-rays, heart rate tests, blood tests, one after another, divided the long time Andrew spent with other patients in the waiting room. In the evening, the nurses sent him back to the ward. Although he had to be connected to an IV drip, the nurses in the hospital kindly arranged a more comfortable environment for him. The stretcher was carried lightly and the food was delicious.If it wasn't for wasting precious time, Andrew really had nothing to complain about.

Andrew has not received the test results.He called Valerie, but he didn't tell her what had happened to him, partly because he didn't want her to worry, and partly because he was afraid she would ask him to go home immediately. Marisa visited him once before going to work at the hotel.When watching her leave, Andrew suddenly wanted to go out with her.Death, which has been with him for so long, suddenly gave him a strong desire to enjoy life, to be intoxicated again, and to forget the worries of tomorrow. Around noon on Saturday, Dr. Herra appeared in Andrew's ward accompanied by a team of students.The feeling of being a guinea pig was not at all pleasant, but Andrew still obeyed the doctor's arrangement.

The bruise on the brow bone was so well placed that he could only see through one eye now.The doctor reassured Andrew that the wound would heal in another forty-eight hours.Ultrasound of the abdomen revealed light bleeding, but other tests were normal.Dr. Herra was pleased to see that the results of the examination were in line with his judgment.He suspected that the patient had a hemorrhagic fever with renal symptoms, probably of viral origin.Its symptoms look like flu at first.Headaches, muscle aches, lower back pain, and bleeding can follow.There is no better way to treat such diseases than time.Dr. Herra asked Andrew if he had been camping in the forest recently. The feces of wild rodents are the main way to spread this type of bacteria.

Comfort was the most important thing in Andrew's life, and he assured his doctor that he had never thought of going camping. "Or have you ever been injured by a tool someone brought from the forest, like a lumberjack's tool or a hunter's tool?" Andrew immediately thought of Olsen, he clenched his fist and wished he could smash the latter's jaw. "It's possible." Andrew controlled his anger. "Please be more careful next time," the doctor said with a smile. Being able to predict success in front of the students made him feel good, "If there is no accident, you will be discharged from the hospital next Monday afternoon. This is exactly what you hoped for, right? " Andrew nodded in agreement. "You need to rest well. The wound in your lower back is not serious, but it still needs time to heal, please be careful not to let it get infected. When are you going back to the United States?" "At the end of next week, generally speaking," Andrew replied. "I suggest you do a small checkup before boarding the plane, and we can help you remove the stitches. Well, see you on Monday, I wish you a happy weekend, Mr. Steelman." The doctor walked out of the ward with his students . In the late afternoon, Andrew was visited by a police officer in the ward.After the police officer explained to him that there was no possibility of arresting the murderer because the hotel did not have surveillance equipment, Andrew expressed his willingness to waive his right to appeal.This made the police officer greatly relieved, he let Andrew rest well, and wished him a speedy recovery.In the evening, Marisa, who had just spent the afternoon with her fiancé, also came to see him and stayed at Andrew's bedside for an hour. On Sunday, Louisa, who heard the news from her niece, also came to the hospital and brought Andrew a meal she had cooked.She spent most of the afternoon with Andrew. Andrew told her about several periods of his career as a reporter, and Luisa told Andrew about her journey of becoming a mother in May Square... Then she asked Andrew Have you met Albert. Andrew told Louisa what happened at the poker table, and Louisa said angrily that Albert hadn't done anything serious in the past 30 years except playing poker and getting fat.A man of such wisdom has completely given up his life and his wife, and she will never forgive him. "You know how handsome he was when he was young," Louisa sighed. "All the girls in the neighborhood wanted to be with him, but he chose me in the end. I know how to attract men, and I let He believed that I had no interest in him at all. Yet every time he talked to me or smiled at me, I felt like snow in the sun. But I was always too proud to show it." "So what made you change your mind?" Andrew asked jokingly. "One night..." Louisa took a thermos from the basket, "does the doctor allow you coffee?" "He didn't say anything, but since I was in the hospital, the only thing I seem to have been drinking is herbal tea." Andrew admitted. "Silence is consent!" Louisa handed the glass to Andrew. "So, one night, Albert came to my parents' house. He knocked on the door and asked my father to let him take me for a walk. It was December. The humidity was just Added to the stuffiness in my house. I was living on the second floor of my house at the time, and I happened to hear their conversation." "What did your father say?" "He immediately rejected Albert, telling him that his daughter didn't want to see him at all. Since I was most fond of rebelling against my parents at that time, I immediately ran down the stairs and put on a shawl, of course, so as not to let My dad was shocked, and then I followed Albert, and we went out together. Now I'm sure it must have been a play-by-play tactic they conspired together. Of course my dad would never admit it, and neither did Albert, but from their I often mention the way I made fun of me on our first date with Albert, and I can guess something. Traveling with Albert was more enjoyable than I expected, and Albert is not like those who just want to Fuck you boy ASAP. He talks to me about politics, about a new world where poverty is not destiny and everyone has the right to free expression. Albert is a humanitarian, naive and full of utopian fantasies, but he is a A very generous man. His deep voice reassured me, and his eyes made me fall in love. We talked about the dream of changing the world like this, and we didn't feel the passage of time at all. As we walked home, time It was long past the time when my father asked me to go back. I knew that my father would be waiting for us at the door, maybe with a gun full of coarse salt, in order to teach Albert a lesson. I said to Albert Or I should go back alone, lest he be made things difficult by his father, but Albert insisted on sending me home. "On a street corner near my house, I asked Albert for his handkerchief and tied it around my ankle. Then I leaned on his shoulder and pretended to sprain my foot. As soon as my father saw me like this, Immediately calmed down, he hurried over to help. I told him that because I sprained my foot, I had to rest every few tens of meters, so I had to spend two hours when I came back. I still don’t know if my father believed it. What I said, but he still thanked Albert for bringing his daughter back safely. As for me, I went to sleep with only the emotions that surged in my heart when Albert put his arms around me. Six months Finally, we got married. We were not rich at the time, and at the end of the month we were often hard-pressed, but Albert always had a way of getting us through. We were happy then, truly happy. I was in his company Had the best time of my life. We laughed a lot when we were together. Then came the new dictatorship, scarier than any that had ever been. Our son was only twenty years old when he was kidnapped. Albert and I had only one child. He disappeared and was never seen again. We will never forget the pain of his disappearance. But we survived in our own ways. He survived by forgetting and I Through the struggle, our roles are now completely reversed. If you meet Albert, I will never allow you to tell him that I and you have talked about him. Do you agree?" Andrew nodded in agreement. "I've been sleeping badly since we last met. Ortiz isn't high on my photo album, he's just a tool for someone else to kill someone with a knife, and like I told you, he But, now, I can no longer stop myself from thinking that he might be flying over the sea my son was thrown into. I hope you can find him as soon as possible and make him confess to all the crimes of the past. For a There is nothing more painful to a woman than the loss of her own child, the greatest pain a man can suffer, even more terrible than his own death. Yet if you imagine being unable to help your own child to be buried, The feeling of letting his corpse rest in peace forever. The person you called your mother in the past ran over and threw himself into your arms, hugging you tightly with all his strength..." Having said that, Louisa paused. "...when the child who was the sunshine of your life is lost without leaving a trace, when you know you will never hear his voice again, your life is hell." Louisa got up and went to the window, she didn't want Andrew to see her face.She let out a breath and went on with her story, looking off into the distance. "Albert found sanctuary in oblivion, fearful that pain would push him into the abyss of blind revenge. He didn't want to become like those murderers. And I, I have no fear of this. A woman can have no guilt Kill the person who stole her child. If I have the opportunity to do it, I will not be soft." Andrew suddenly thought of Mrs. Capetta.Louisa turned away, her eyes red but determined. "Find him, please, I beg you with all my heart, or at least with what is left of my heart." After speaking, Louisa took the basket and went out.Looking at her disappearing figure, Andrew felt that these conversations had made her age a lot for a while.All night, he thought about his meeting with Ortiz, the first time he hoped that Albert's plan would work. In the evening, Andrew's phone rang.He twisted his body to answer the phone with a difficult movement, and the pain in his back started again. "When you say 'I'll call you in five minutes,' you actually..." "I'm in the hospital, Simon." "Are you going to visit someone else?" "No, I am in the hospital myself..." Andrew told Simon what happened to him when he was attacked, and told him never to tell Valerie.Simon wanted to rush over to see Andrew immediately, but Andrew stopped him.Being alone in Buenos Aires is conspicuous enough, adding Simon will only make things more complicated. "I thought maybe now was not the time to tell you about Mrs. Capetta." "No, on the contrary, I don't have anything to do this weekend anyway." "She knits in that little park every afternoon while her son plays in the sand." "You talked to her?" "I just told you that she was knitting a sweater, not in any extended sense..." "Nothing else?" "No, except that her beauty makes me feel that it is not worth marrying someone like Capetta. Of course, this is entirely out of my jealousy." "What kind of beauty?" "Black hair, ebony eyes, full of loneliness and sadness in the eyes." "Is this the conclusion you came to when observing her?" "I don't pay attention to women just because I like women..." "Simon, are you talking to me..." "Well...she went to McDonald's for a cup of coffee and her son came back with a tray that was obviously too heavy for him. I managed to get him to stain my pants. You see, for You and I also sacrificed a pair of jeans. His mother immediately stood up and hurriedly apologized to me. I made two faces, made the child laugh, and then gave him ten dollars to go to McDonald's to buy another Coke and Two packs of chips, as an excuse to get some tissues on the way. Then I sit in a chair with the mother and wait for her son to come back." "That's what you do." "It makes me sad that you look at me like that." "What did she tell you?" "She said she lived alone in Chicago after her husband's death and wanted to start a new life with her son." "...She wiped out the existence of the father of the child who is still alive, strange widow!" "The way she looks gravely when she mentions her husband makes the blood run cold. By the way, there's something scary about her." "What is it?" "I don't know how to describe it to you, but I simply don't feel comfortable with her." "Did she tell you about her trip to New York?" "No, when I said goodbye to her I told her she could come to me if she ever needed help, but she swore to me right away that she would never go back there again." "She should have seen through your trick." "If I'm really playing tricks on her, she's bound to change her mind." "Of course!" "Yes, of course! But considering the purpose of my trip, I still pay attention to my words and deeds. I am just a businessman, coming to Chicago on business, with three children in my family, and I love my wife very much." "How does it feel to pretend to be the head of the family? Not burnt out this morning?" "I think I miss you, but..." "Do you think she might have killed someone?" "She has enough power, her motives for making up her own life. Something is clearly messing with her life. She's not Nicholson from The Shining, but I can assure you her eyes are terrifyingly piercing. Well, Andrew, are you still wasting your time in Buenos Aires, and you really believe that someone is going to murder you in a few weeks?" "God gave me a second chance, Simon, so that Valerie wouldn't feel the pain of losing me, and give me a chance to close this investigation. I'm more self-aware now than I was in the past." Andrew asked his friend to do him one last favor.He told Simon to wait for them to hang up, go to the florist and buy a bunch of flowers, and then write a little note as he asked, and send someone to deliver the flowers to Valerie's house. At the same time, in the hospital in Buenos Aires, Andrew seemed to hear Luisa say in his ear: "If Mrs. Capetta believes that it is because of you that she lost her daughter, please take care." .” On Monday morning, Andrew underwent a new test, and Dr. Herra released him in the afternoon. Marissa waited patiently in her car.After a short stop at the hotel, they drove to where Albert and his friends were waiting for them. Andrew sat down at the table deep in the hall, and Albert was the only one there this time.He unfolded a large sheet of paper and drew the route Ortiz would take. "Once out of Villa Maria, a truck that broke down in the middle of the road will force Ortiz to abandon National Highway 9. His driver can only turn south and drive on National Highway 8. This time you can go directly to Canaan, in the direction of the statue of the Virgin Mary, you can easily find three barns fifty meters away from the road. A narrow dirt road leads there. You can stop the car with Marisa, By the way, take this opportunity to take turns sleeping for a while. "If Ortiz leaves Dumenil near 9pm, he'll be in Canaan around 4am. We'll do the prep work, sprinkle scrap metal on the road, and when his When the car drove past the cross, it fell right into our arrangement." "What if it wasn't his car that drove up first?" "There will be no other cars coming at this time." "How can you be so 100% sure?" "There will be friends watching him all the way, Olivia, Chazon, Arias, Santa Emilia, every quarter of an hour we will know where his car is. We will wait until it is confirmed that he is approaching the cross After that, we will start to arrange.” "There's another place called Olivia?" "Yes, why do you ask?" Albert replied. "nothing." "Wait until his car can't go any further, and you guys remember to wait until all his men are gone. If you're one-on-three, you won't be able to handle it. I think you may have dealt with them recently, Looking at your appearance, if you really want to fight, you probably don't have much confidence." "What about me? You forgot I was there." Marisa asked. "You stay in the car, you drive. I won't let you step out of the cab, even if our brave reporter gets shot. You see what I mean, Marisa, I don't Just kidding! If something happened to you, your aunt would definitely come here in broad daylight and beat me up." "She won't get out of the car." Andrew promised on behalf of Marisa, and as soon as he finished speaking, he kicked Marisa under the table. "Don't procrastinate, Canaan is two hours away from here, you need time to recognize the road, determine the place, and hide yourself. Richard will help you prepare food for the road, he is waiting for you in the kitchen, Marisa .Go ahead, I still have two or three words to say to Mr. Reporter." Marisa obeyed Albert's instructions. "Do you feel you are capable of the task?" "You will know tomorrow." Andrew replied lazily. Albert held Andrew's arm. "I have mobilized many friends to help because it is not only about my credibility, but also about the safety of my niece." "Marisa is a big girl, she knows what she's doing, but there's still time if you want to stop her. With this map, I think I should be able to find this place without too much trouble." "She won't listen to me. My words have no prestige for her." "I will do my best, Albert, and you, please don't let this mission (according to your description) become a tragedy. You promised me that you and your friends would not settle accounts with Ortiz in private ,right?" "I will do what I say, since I have promised you!" "Then everything should be fine." "Take this," Albert said, placing a pistol on Andrew's lap, "just in case." Andrew returned the gun to Albert. "I don't think it's going to keep Marisa safe. I've never used a gun. Unlike making movies, not all Americans have a cowboy style." After speaking, Andrew wanted to stand up, but Albert indicated that their conversation was not over yet. "Luisa went to see you in the hospital?" "How did you know?" "I was also very concerned about your recovery during your hospitalization, and I was worried that Ortiz's men would come to trouble you again." "So you already know the answer to that question." "Did she talk to you about me?" Andrew looked at Albert for a while, then stood up. "Let's discuss this issue tomorrow, after I return from Canaan. I wish you a pleasant evening, Albert." Walking out of the restaurant, Andrew searched for Marisa's Beetle with his eyes.Suddenly a horn sound caught his attention.Marisa poked her head out the window of a new car. "We're going now, or have you changed your mind?" Andrew got into the car. "My uncle is concerned that my car is not in good shape." "I'm wondering how he came up with this." "It's his car, which shows how much he takes this mission seriously." "Stop using the word 'mission', it's so weird! We're not on a mission, and I'm not working for any secret organization, I'm just a reporter for a respectable newspaper. If Ortag really is the past Ortiz, I will find a way to get him to admit it." "At that time, you'd better shut up and don't say anything." Marisa mocked. During the one hundred and eighty kilometers to Canaan, the two of them hardly spoke a word.Marisa's attention was focused on the road, which, as her uncle said, was in bad shape and lacked lighting.They arrived at their destination just before midnight.Marisa stopped the car at the intersection and observed the terrain by the light of the flashlight. "If the car blows out here," she said to Andrew, "it'll stop in the field ahead. You see, there's nothing to worry about. My uncle didn't lie to you." Andrew also scouted with the faint light of the headlights. He wanted to know when Albert's people would come back. "Get in the car," Marisa ordered. "The path to the barn is over there. We'll stay there. We still have plenty of time to eat something." Marisa restarted the ignition and drove the car up the path that circled the barn.She stopped between two barns and turned off the lights.After Andrew's eyes got used to the dimness, he realized that their position had an excellent viewing angle, and they happened to have a panoramic view of everything that happened on the road, but the people on the road couldn't see them at all. "Your uncle's plan really didn't miss a single bit!" "Albert was a member of the Montoneros organization and participated in some actual combat, so he is very experienced. If he is the same age as you now, then he must be sitting in this car now. " "I am not his subordinate, Marisa, please always remember this." "You've told us so many times. I get it. Are you hungry?" "Not too hungry." "Let's eat a little," Marisa said, handing him a sandwich. "You need energy." She turned on the dome light in the car and looked at Andrew with a smile. "What's wrong? Why are you smiling at me?" "because of you." "Is there anything weird about me?" "The left side of your face looks fine, but the right side of your face looks like a puppet." "Thank you for the compliment!" "Just half a compliment, it all depends on which side we're looking at you from." "Would you like me to drive instead?" "No, I prefer your ugly side face, it suits my taste." "I'm sure Antonio will be delighted to hear that." "Antonio is not handsome, but he is a nice guy." "It has nothing to do with me." "Then you, your wife, is she beautiful?" "It has nothing to do with you." "Looks like we'll have to stay in this car for a long time, do you want us to chat about the weather for a while?" "Valerie is very beautiful." "I'd be surprised if it was the other way around." "Why do you say that?" "Because I suppose you'd be a man who would be proud to walk with a beautiful lady on his arm." "You made a mistake. We met in middle school. At that time, I didn't understand the relationship between men and women at all. I was shy and clumsy. It hasn't changed since then." Marisa's phone vibrated in her pocket, and she pulled it out. There was a new text message. Ortiz's car is coming towards Highway 8, and they will be at your location in at most four hours. "I thought there was no cell phone reception here." "It depends on the situation. The only signal station is 20 kilometers away. If the power is cut off, all communication methods will naturally be cut off." Andrew smiled. "You may be right. This night is more and more like a mission." "You still seem to enjoy the word." "Give me the sandwich and stop teasing me, or I'll be charmed by your charms." Marisa turned around to get something from the back seat, showing her figure in every move, all of which naturally couldn't make Andrew indifferent. "Here, let's have some coffee." She said and handed a thermos to Andrew. An hour later, they heard the sound of an engine in the distance.Marisa immediately turned off the lights in the car. "If it's Ortiz, it's too early," Andrew muttered. Marisa laughed out loud. "You're right to keep your voice down, it's best to be careful; we're only fifty meters off the road, and we might be overheard... No, it won't be Ortiz's." "Okay, so why did you turn off the lights?" Just before Andrew figured out what was going on, Marisa flipped over and straddled him.She ran her fingers over his lips and kissed him. "Shut up," she said softly, "you're getting married, and so am I, so there's no danger of us falling in love." "Since you just shut me up, you're an odd babbler." Marisa kissed Andrew again, and their bodies were entangled, rolling on the back seat of the car in the silent night. Marisa opened her eyes, looked at her watch, and pushed Andrew with her elbow. "Wake up, get dressed, it's already 3 in the morning!" Andrew suddenly woke up.Marisa picked up her mobile phone, and there were six unread text messages on it, each of which was the name of the place Ortiz's car had just passed by.She glanced at the screen of her mobile phone, turned over and returned to the cab in a hurry. "My cell phone has no signal. They must have cut off the power supply. Ortiz should be not far away, hurry up!" Andrew put on his clothes and sat in the co-pilot's seat.There was silence all around.He looked back at Marisa, her eyes fixed on the road. "Look ahead," she said, "they're going to pass right now." "What happened in the back seat just now?" Andrew asked suddenly. "Nothing happened, just a beautiful moment between two adults with a tacit understanding." "How wonderful?" Andrew asked with a smile. Marisa nudged him again. "Do you think your uncle's friends saw us when they came over to set up the scene just now?" "It's better not to. It's better for you and for me. Now, pray to God we haven't missed Ortiz yet." "If his car came by, it should be parked in the middle of the road, shouldn't it? Do you see any cars parked?" Marisa didn't answer.The sound of the engine was getting closer, and Andrew felt his heart beat faster. "What if it wasn't for them?" he murmured. "That's an accidental injury... It's a pity, but sometimes it can't be avoided!" Just when Andrew was worried, a four-compartment passenger car stopped in front of the cross like a whirlwind.All three tires of the car blew out. The driver tried to control the running of the car, but the car didn't listen at all. It went crookedly for a while, and finally rolled over to the ground.The car skidded some distance on the ground before crashing into a chicken coop.The rear hood of the car was turned up by the huge momentum, and several wine barrels and the car made a dull collision sound.The windshield in front of the car was completely shattered. After a burst of noise, there was a dead silence. "It shouldn't be like this, it shouldn't be like this." Andrew growled as he tried to get out of the car. Marisa grabbed his arm and forced him to sit in the passenger seat.She turned the car key, drove the car onto the dirt road, and then stopped the car on the side of the road. With the light of the high beam, they saw the tragic scene.A dying man is thrown out of a car, in terrible condition but breathing.Marisa hurried to the vehicle where the accident occurred. The driver was bloodied and unconscious.A man in the back seat, trapped by the deformed body, was moaning, and he had just regained consciousness. Andrew rushed to help. He knelt down and tried to smash the glass of the cab. "Help me," he said, turning to Marisa, "we've got to get him out of here fast, the car's going to catch fire." Marisa also knelt down, and she looked indifferently at the injured man in the car. "Did you hear, this car is about to catch fire. We have some questions for you, and if you don't want to be turned into a roast pig, answer our questions quickly." "Who are you? What do you want to do to me?" the man moaned. "We are asking you, you can only choose to answer." "Damn, Marisa, don't be stupid, help me." Andrew said as he tried to get the injured out of the car. "Don't help him unless he answers our questions. What's your real name?" she said mercilessly. "Miguel Ortag." "Then I'm Mrs. Peron! I'll give you another chance." Marissa said while holding a cigarette. She took a box of matches from her pocket, struck one, and brought the lit match to Ortag's face. “我叫米格尔·奥尔塔格！”那个男人大声喊道，“你们都疯了，快把我拉出来！” “请再好好想想，现在漏出的汽油越来越多了。”她说道。 安德鲁用尽全力试图将奥尔塔格拉出来，但是这个男人的双腿被驾驶室的座椅紧紧压住，没有玛丽莎的帮助，他也无计可施。 “好吧，那我们走吧。”说完玛丽莎将她的火柴扔向车内。 火焰摇晃了几下之后就熄灭了。玛丽莎点燃了另一根火柴，然后又用它点燃了火柴盒，用手指捏着它。 奥尔塔格看着在自己头顶舞蹈的火焰。 “奥尔蒂斯，我叫菲利普·奥尔蒂斯，快把火熄了，求求您，我有一家人要养，请不要这样做！” 玛丽莎将火柴盒扔得远远的，然后冲指挥官奥尔蒂斯吐了口唾沫。 安德鲁快要气疯了。玛丽莎钻进车厢，推开座椅。安德鲁终于把奥尔蒂斯成功地拉了出来，拖到远离车子的一个地方。 “现在我们去救驾驶员。”他的口吻不容置疑。 当安德鲁回到车边时，汽车引擎盖下已经有火花刺刺作响，车子开始燃烧。他看到驾驶员的身上着了火。在烟雾遮掩了这噩梦般的一幕之前，安德鲁看到驾驶员的脸可怕地扭曲着。 安德鲁双手抱住脑袋，不由自主地跪下来呕吐。当火势渐渐减小时，他回头去找躺在路边的奥尔蒂斯。玛丽莎正坐在他身边，抽着烟。 “我们现在就送他去医院，还有那个躺在路上的人。” “不，”玛丽莎摇晃着车钥匙回答说，“如果你敢走过来的话，我就把钥匙扔到田野里去。” “已经有人死了，你还觉得不够吗？” “一个人就可以抵上三万人的性命吗？不，这远远不够。现在是比赛的下半场了，显然优势在我这边。如果这个人渣还有一口气在，他就必须回答我们的问题。拿出你的笔记本和笔，记者先生，你荣耀的时刻到了！” “我很难受，”奥尔蒂斯哀求道，“请送我去医院，我会在路上把所有事情都告诉你们的。” 玛丽莎站起身，向自己的车走去，打开副驾驶座前的储物盒，回来的时候手上拿着一把手枪。 她用手枪抵住奥尔蒂斯的太阳穴，拉下保险栓。 “好吧，那我就充当一回速记员的角色吧，我们现在开始访问。鉴于他现在血流不止，如果我是你的话，我就不会浪费太多的时间。” “如果我不肯配合的话，你是不是也会冲我的脑袋开枪？”安德鲁问道。 “不，我太爱你了，所以我不会这样做的，但是他不一样，和他清算总账我毫不手软。我甚至开始享受这个过程了。” 安德鲁在奥尔蒂斯身边跪下来。 “让我们尽快结束吧，这样我才能将你送去医院。我很抱歉，我不想让事情变成这样的。” “你以为他弄坏安东尼奥车子的刹车时有过一丝一毫的抱歉吗，或者是当他派手下潜入你在酒店的房间时？” “你忽然闯入我们的地方，还逢人便打听关于我的事情。我们只是想让你退缩，让你害怕，但我们没想让你出事。” “好啦，当然，”玛丽莎叹了口气道，“你如果在医院碰到安东尼奥，可以慢慢讲给他听。我们，我们也只是想让你害怕，现在我们两清了，不是吗？啊，不是呢，一点儿都不是，看看我朋友的脸，你看得出这是你的手下做的好事吗？” “我什么都看不出，我不知道你们是谁。” 安德鲁被奥尔蒂斯的坦诚给说服了。 “我叫安德鲁·斯迪曼，《纽约时报》的记者。我目前正在调查阿根廷独裁时期一位飞行员的生平。你就是奥尔蒂斯指挥官吗，在1977年至1983年之间担任海岸护卫队的高级军官？” “直到1979年11月29日为止。这之后我再也没有指挥过一架飞机。” "why?" “因为我再也无法忍受上级命令我做的事情。” “那上级布置给您的任务是什么，奥尔蒂斯指挥官？” 奥尔蒂斯吐出一口气。 “好久都没有人叫我指挥官了。” 玛丽莎用手枪抵住奥尔蒂斯的脸颊。 “我们不在乎你的心情。你只要乖乖回答问题就行了。” “我受命巡视乌拉圭边界一线。” 玛丽莎将枪口移到奥尔蒂斯的大腿处，她用枪口摩擦着一块露出体表的骨头。奥尔蒂斯痛苦地号叫起来，安德鲁猛地一把将玛丽莎推开。 “如果您再敢这样做一次，我就把您一个人留在这里，让您独自步行回布宜诺斯艾利斯，我的话明白吗？” “我们现在彼此用'您'来称呼对方了？”玛丽莎说着挑逗地看了安德鲁一眼。 “请开车送我去医院吧。”奥尔蒂斯乞求道。 安德鲁又拿起自己的笔记本和笔。 “你是不是参与过死亡飞行的任务，奥尔蒂斯指挥官？” “是的。”奥尔蒂斯低声说道。 “你执行过多少次这样的任务？” “三十七次。” “如果一次按二十人算，那么这个人渣就把七百多人扔进了死亡的海域。”玛丽莎说道。 “我一直坐在驾驶舱内，根本看不到后面发生的事情。每次当飞机的重量忽然一轻，我才隐约预感到发生了什么事情。我只是单纯地服从上级的命令。如果我拒绝服从的话，我也会没命的。换作你，你能怎么做？” “我更愿意牺牲自己的性命，而不是参与这肮脏的任务。” “你还只是个孩子，你不知道自己在说什么，你根本不懂独裁专制意味着什么。我是职业军人，天生的使命就是服从，无条件地为我的国家服务。你完全不了解那个时代。” “我就生在那个时代，人渣，我真正的父母就是饱受折磨之后被你们这样的人杀害的。” “我从来没有折磨过任何人。被送上我的飞机的人基本都是死人，或者都是快死的人。如果我想要充当一回英雄的话，我马上就会被枪决，我的家人也会被逮捕，而另一位飞行员将会接替我的位置。” “那你为什么在1979年决定终止飞行生涯？” “因为我再也受不了了。我只是一个普通的士兵，一个没有故事的人，也不比别人更有勇气。我没法儿公开反抗等级制的专制制度。我很害怕自己最终的结局。11月的一个晚上，我试着将飞机降低飞行高度直接开进河里，只需要一下就行了，但是我的副驾驶阻止了我，他很快将飞机调整到正常的高度。事后他向上级揭发了我的行径。我很快被逮捕，等待着接受军事法庭的审判，是一位军队的医生帮了我，他诊断我那时候完全失去了理智，无法为自己的行为负责。费布尔对我也很不错。那时候军队的士气已经开始动摇，他觉得枪决我将会使事态越来越严重，倒不如对我宽大处理还能挽回一些军心。于是我就退伍成为了普通百姓。” “你曾参与杀害七百多人，你还指望我们会同情你的遭遇？”玛丽莎的话里满是讽刺。 “我没有请你们同情我。这些人的脸，我虽然没有见过，但我这一辈子都不会忘记的。” “你是怎么搞到一个新身份的？你怎么可以这么多年来一直不被发现？”安德鲁插话问道。 “军队保护了曾经为它服务的人，就等于在保护它自己。'该死的战争'快结束的时候，费布尔帮了我们的大忙。有人帮我们伪造了新的身份证件，替我们编造过去的经历，还帮我们弄到一小块土地或者一点儿产业以便谋生。” “从受害者那里偷来的土地和产业！”玛丽莎大喊道。 “你是阿尔伯特的侄女，是不是？”奥尔蒂斯问道。 “你也许已经回归了平民的生活，但是你提供给我们的信息仍然可以派上很大的用场。” “你太高看我了。我根本提供不了什么有用的信息，我只是个小商人，有家皮革厂。我认出你了，是当你在杜美尼尔附近游荡的时候。你和他很像，你们说话的方式一模一样……但现在他已经太老了，没法儿自己亲自上阵。” “今晚就到此为止吧，”安德鲁说着收起了笔记本，“去把你的车开过来，玛丽莎，我们把这家伙弄上车，再去看看另外一个家伙，希望他还有救。快点儿，不然我就要踢你的屁股了。” 玛丽莎耸了耸肩，收起武器，慢慢走远，双手插在口袋里。 “派人去你住的地方的人不是我，”奥尔蒂斯等只剩下他和安德鲁两人时说道，“一定是阿尔伯特的人。这个家伙比你想象的狡猾多了，从一开始他就将你玩弄于股掌之间，操纵你替他完成他做不了的事情。一定是他计划了今晚的事故，不是吗？你只是他棋局中的一枚棋子而已。” “闭嘴，奥尔蒂斯，你不知道自己在说什么。不是阿尔伯特让我来阿根廷的。自从有人委托我调查以来，你这条线我已经跟了很久了。” “为什么要调查我，而不是别人？” “生活的偶然吧，你的名字出现在报社收到的材料中。” “那是谁将这些材料交给你的呢，斯迪曼先生？我已经七十七岁了，我的健康状况也很糟糕。我根本不在乎生命中的最后几年是否要在监狱中度过，那甚至对我而言可能是一种解脱。但是我有两个女儿，斯迪曼先生，她们什么都没有做过，小的那个从来不知道我的过去。如果你揭穿我的身份的话，那你折磨的不是我，而是她。我求求你，你可以写出指挥官奥尔蒂斯悲惨的故事，但请不要揭穿我的身份。如果你是想要报复我的话，那么就让我在这里慢慢流血而死吧。这对我来说将是一种解脱。你还不知道摧毁无辜的普通人的生活需要付出什么代价，现在一切都还不晚。” 安德鲁重新拿出自己的笔记本，从里面拿出一张照片，他将照片拿给奥尔蒂斯看。 “你认识这个小姑娘吗？” 奥尔蒂斯看了看那个两岁孩子的脸，他的眼中充满了泪水。 “这是我养大的孩子。” 车开上了7号公路。当安德鲁与玛丽莎将奥尔蒂斯抬上后座时，他已经失去了知觉。他的保镖的情况也没有好到哪里去。 “我们现在离最近的医院还有多远？”安德鲁看了一眼两个伤者问道。 “桑安德烈·德·基尔的那家离这里有四十公里，我们半小时后能到。” “那就快开吧，如果你希望我们的乘客到时候还是活着的话。” 玛丽莎猛地踩下离合器。 “当然我希望我们到时候也还活着。”安德鲁说着系上了安全带。 “别担心，现在我们已经得到了他的口供，我可不想他就这样死了。他会被交到法官手上，并为他所犯下的罪行付出代价的。” “你这话可真让我意外呢！” "Why do you say that?" “见到法官你打算怎么说呢？是说为了让他招供你把手枪抵在他的太阳穴上，还是说这场车祸其实是我们一手策划的？如果法官偏袒我们的话，我们倒也可以请他允许我们与奥尔蒂斯住在同一间牢房，然后继续我们之间的对话……” "what are you talking about?" “你和你姑父忘了在他那潮湿的酒吧外，还有不能无视的法律的存在。我们是一起谋杀案的同伙，甚至有可能是两起，如果我们不及时赶到医院的话。我甚至不知道我能不能发表我的报道了！” “这是一次意外，我们和它一点儿关系都没有。我们只是正好经过，只能救出两个男人，这就是你可以讲述的唯一版本。” “严格地说，这是我们向医院讲述的版本。至少只要我们及时赶到的话，奥尔蒂斯就不会清醒过来揭穿我们。” “你就让事情这样算了？” “那你还想我怎样解释自己得到消息的方式？告诉我的上司，我参与了一起有预谋的谋杀？他们一定会喜欢这个解释的，这是报社的最爱。你和你姑父让我这几周的工作都打了水漂。” 玛丽莎猛地踩下刹车，车子的轮胎摩擦着地面发出沉闷的声响，车最后横着停在公路上。 “你不能放弃。” “你还想我怎么做？在阿根廷的监狱待上十年，公义必须得以执行，不容置疑！在我发怒之前继续上路吧，不然我就把你一个人留在这里了，开车！” 玛丽莎加快了车速，奥尔蒂斯在后座上呻吟着。 “真是好极了，”安德鲁叹了口气，“给我你的手枪。” “你要打死他？” “不，但如果你能够不再说这些蠢话的话，我就能省心很多。” “就在副驾驶的储物盒里。” 安德鲁取出手枪，转过身去看着奥尔蒂斯，决心用枪柄把他打昏。但过一会儿他的手臂却慢慢地垂了下来。 "I can not do it." “该死，直接打他呀，如果他揭穿我们的话，一切就都完了。” “你们事先就该想到这一点。不管怎么说，我想他肯定会告发我们的，只要他的状态好一些。” “但这样你至少有时间离开这个国家，你可以搭早班的飞机回纽约去。” “那你呢？他知道你是谁。” “我，我会自己想办法的。” “不，不行，我们是两个人一起卷进这个疯狂的冒险的，要全身而退也必须两个人一起。” 安德鲁收起了手枪。 “也许我有个主意……快开车，还有别说话，我需要好好想想。” 当玛丽莎的车开到医院急诊大楼的门前时，奥尔蒂斯又一次昏了过去。玛丽莎猛按喇叭，冲两位从急诊室里出来的担架员喊道还需要另一副担架。她向实习医生解释说他们是在经过迦南时发现这次车祸的。她和她的朋友只来得及救出车上的两个人，而驾驶员已经葬身火海。实习医生请护士马上通知警方，然后在将伤者送进手术室之前，他叮嘱玛丽莎在原地等他回来。 玛丽莎回答说自己先去停车，一会儿回头来找他。 “这就是你现在的打算？”再次上路之后玛丽莎问道。 “等待。” “很明智。” “我们不想告诉他我们的故事，而他也不想告诉我们他的故事。一个做警察的朋友曾对我说，要是抓到罪犯却不知道他的犯罪动机，并不能算是完全完成了任务。如果奥尔蒂斯告发我们，那么他就必须向法官解释我们为什么要设陷阱对付他。我们现在由同一个秘密紧紧联系起来。只要他的身体情况好转，我就会回去见他，向他提出一个交易。” “所以他就能这样全身而退了？” “我们可以看看谁笑到了最后。不是只有你姑父喜欢棋牌游戏，我也很擅长下棋，我知道怎样抢占先机。”