6 the short second life of bree tanner布里·坦纳第二次短暂生命-第14部分

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n’t　kill　his　victims　so　quickly　in　the　future。　　“Now；　let’s　get　some　teams　figured　out　so　that　we　can　work　in　groups；”　Riley　said；　his　face　normal　again。　“Kristie；　Raoul；　get　your　kids　together　and　then　divvy　up　the　rest　evenly。　No　fighting！　Show　me　you　can　do　this　rationally。　Prove　yourselves。”　　He　walked　away　from　those　two；　ignoring　the　fact　that　they　fell　almost　immediately　into　bickering；　and　made　an　arc　around　the　outside　edge　of　the　room。　He　touched　a　few　vampires　on　the　shoulder　as　he　passed；　nudging　them　toward　one　of　the　new　leaders　or　the　other。　I　didn’t　realize　at　first　that　he　was　heading　in　my　direction；　because　he　took　such　a　wide　way　around。　　“Bree；”　he　said；　squinting　toward　where　I　stood。　It　looked　like　this　took　some　effort。　
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　I　felt　like　a　block　of　ice。　He　must　have　smelled　my　trail。　I　was　dead。　　“Bree？”　he　said；　softer　now。　His　voice　reminded　me　of　the　first　time　he’d　talked　to　me。　When　he　was　nice　to　me。　And　then　even　lower；　“I　promised　Diego　I’d　give　you　a　message。　He　said　to　tell　you　it　was　a　ninja　thing。　Does　that　make　any　sense　to　you？”　　He　still　couldn’t　look　at　me；　but　he　was　edging　closer。　　“Diego？”　I　murmured。　I　couldn’t　help　myself。　　Riley　smiled　a　tiny　bit。　“Can　we　talk？”　He　jerked　his　head　toward　the　door。　“I　doublechecked　all　the　windows。　The　first　floor　is　totally　dark　and　safe。”　　I　knew　I　wouldn’t　be　as　safe　once　I　walked　away　from　Fred；　but　I　had　to　hear　what　Diego　had　wanted　to　tell　me。　What　had　happened？　I　should　have　stayed　with　him　to　meet　Riley。　　I　followed　Riley　through　the　room；　keeping　my　head　down。　He　gave　Raoul　a　few　instructions；　nodded　to　Kristie；　and　then　went　up　the　stairs。　From　the　corners　of　my　eyes　I　saw　a　few　people　curiously　watch　the　direction　he　was　going。　　Riley　passed　through　the　door　first；　and　the　kitchen　of　the　home　was；　as　he’d　promised；　totally　black。　He　motioned　for　me　to　keep　following　and　led　me　through　a　dark　hall　past　a　few　open　bedroom　doors；　then　through　another　door　with　a　dead　bolt。　We　ended　up　in　the　garage。　　“You’re　brave；”　he　mented　in　a　very　low　voice。　“Or　really　trusting。　I　thought　it　would　be　more　work　to　get　you　upstairs　with　the　sun　up。”　　Whoops。　I　should　have　been　more　skittish。　Too　late　now。　I　
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shrugged。　　“So　you　and　Diego　are　pretty　tight；　right？”　he　asked；　just　breathing　the　words。　Probably；　if　everyone　were　silent　in　the　basement；　they　would　still　be　able　to　hear　him；　but　it　was　pretty　noisy　down　there　right　now。　　I　shrugged　again。　“He　saved　my　life；”　I　whispered。　　Riley　lifted　his　chin；　almost　but　not　quite　a　nod；　and　appraised。　Did　he　believe　me？　Did　he　think　I　still　feared　the　day？　　“He’s　the　best；”　Riley　said。　“The　smartest　kid　I’ve　got。”　　I　nodded　once。　　“We　had　a　little　meeting　about　the　situation。　We　agreed　that　we　need　some　surveillance。　Going　in　blind　is　too　dangerous。　He’s　the　only　one　I　trust　to　scout　ahead。”　He　exhaled；　almost　angrily。　“Wish　I　had　two　of　him！　Raoul’s　got　too　short　a　fuse　and　Kristie　is　too　selfabsorbed　to　get　the　big　picture；　but　they’re　the　best　I’ve　got；　and　I’ll　have　to　make　do。　Diego　said　you　were　smart；　too。”　　I　waited；　not　sure　how　much　of　our　story　Riley　knew。　　“I　need　your　help　with　Fred。　Wow；　that　kid　is　strong！　I　couldn’t　even　look　at　him　tonight。”　　I　nodded　cautiously　again。　　“Imagine　if　our　enemies　can’t　even　look　at　us。　It　will　be　so　easy！”　　I　didn’t　think　Fred　would　like　that　idea；　but　maybe　I　was　wrong。　He　didn’t　seem　like　he　cared　anything　for　this　coven　of　ours。　Would　he　want　to　save　us？　I　didn’t　respond　to　Riley。　　“You　spend　a　lot　of　time　with　him。”　
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　I　shrugged。　“Nobody　bothers　me　there。　It’s　not　easy。”　　Riley　pursed　his　lips　and　nodded。　“Smart；　like　Diego　said。”　　“Where　is　Diego？”　　I　shouldn’t　have　asked。　The　words　just　ripped　out　of　their　own　accord。　I　waited　anxiously；　trying　to　look　indifferent　and　most　likely　failing。　　“We　don’t　have　time　to　waste。　I　sent　him　south　the　second　I　found　out　what　was　ing。　If　our　enemies　decide　to　attack　early；　we　need　the　advance　warning。　Diego　will　meet　up　with　us　when　we　move　against　them。”　　I　tried　to　imagine　where　Diego　was　now。　I　wished　I　were　there　with　him。　Maybe　I　could　talk　him　out　of　doing　Riley’s　bidding　and　putting　himself　in　the　line　of　fire　in　the　process。　But　maybe　not。　It　seemed　like　Diego　was　thick　with　Riley；　just　like　I’d　worried。　　“Diego　wanted　me　to　tell　you　something。”　　My　eyes　snapped　to　his　face。　Too　fast；　too　eager。　Blew　it　again。　　“Sounded　like　nonsense　to　me。　He　said；　‘Tell　Bree　I’ve　got　the　handshake　figured　out。　I’ll　show　her　in　four　days；　when　we　meet　up。’　I　have　no　idea　what　that　means。　Do　you？”　　I　tried　to　force　a　poker　face。　“Maybe。　He　did　say　something　about　needing　a　secret　handshake。　For　his　underwater　cave。　Some　kind　of　password。　He　was　just　kidding　around；　though。　I’m　not　sure　what　he　means　now。”　　Riley　chuckled。　“Poor　Diego。”　　“What？”　　“I　think　that　kid　likes　you　a　lot　more　than　you　like　him。”　
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　“Oh。”　I　looked　away；　confused。　Was　Diego　giving　me　this　message　as　a　way　to　let　me　know　I　could　trust　Riley？　But　he　hadn’t　told　Riley　I　knew　about　the　sun。　Still；　he　must　have　trusted　Riley　to　tell　him　so　much；　to　show　Riley　that　he　cared　about　me。　I　thought　it　would　be　wiser　to　keep　my　mouth　shut；　though。　Too　much　had　changed。　　“Don’t　write　him　off　yet；　Bree。　He’s　the　best；　like　I　said。　Give　him　a　chance。”　　Riley　was　giving　me　romantic　advice？　This　could　not　get　weirder。　I　bobbed　my　head　once　and　muttered；　“Sure。”　　“See　if　you　can　talk　to　Fred。　Make　sure　he’s　on　board。”　　I　shrugged。　“I’ll　do　what　I　can。”　　Riley　smiled。　“Great。　I’ll　pull　you　aside　before　we　leave；　and　you　can　tell　me　how　it　went。　I’ll　keep　it　casual；　not　like　tonight。　I　don’t　want　him　to　feel　like　I’m　spying　on　him。”　　“Okay。”　　Riley　motioned　for　me　to　follow　and　then　headed　back　to　the　basement。　　The　training　lasted　all　day；　but　I　wasn’t　part　of　it。　After　Riley　went　back　to　his　team　leaders；　I　took　my　spot　beside　Fred。　The　others　had　been　divided　up　into　four　groups　of　four；　with　Raoul　and　Kristie　directing　them。　No　one　had　picked　Fred　for　a　side；　or　maybe　he’d　ignored　them；　or　maybe　they　couldn’t　even　see　that　he　was　there。　I　could　still　see　him。　He　stood　out　　　the　only　one　not　participating；　a　big　blond　elephant　in　the　room。　　I　had　no　desire　to　insinuate　myself　into　either　Raoul’s　team　or　Kristie’s；　so　I　just　watched。　No　one　seemed　to　notice　that　I　was　sitting　out　with　Fred。　Though　we　must　have　been　somewhat　
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invisible；　thanks　to　talented　Fred；　I　felt　horribly　obvious。　I　wished　I　were　invisible　to　myself　　　that　I　could　see　the　illusion　so　that　I　could　trust　it。　But　no　one　noticed　us；　and　after　a　while　I　could　almost　relax。　　I　watched　the　practicing　closely。　I　wanted　to　know　everything；　just　in　case。　I　wasn’t　planning　on　fighting；　I　was　planning　on　finding　Diego　and　making　a　break　for　it。　But　what　if　Diego　wanted　to　fight？　Or　what　if　we　had　to　fight　to　get　away　from　the　rest？　Better　to　pay　attention。　　Only　once　did　anyone　ask　about　Diego。　It　was　Kevin；　but　I　had　a　sense　that　Raoul　had　put　him　up　to　it。　　“So；　did　Diego　end　up　getting　fried　after　all？”　Kevin　asked　in　a　forced　joking　tone。　　“Diego’s　with　her；”　Riley　said；　and　no　one　had　to　ask　who　he　meant。　“Surveillance。”　　A　few　people　shuddered。　No　one　said　anything　more　about　Diego。　　Was　he　really　with　her？　I　cringed　at　the　thought。　Maybe　Riley　was　just　saying　that　to　keep　people　from　questioning　him。　He　probably　didn’t　want　Raoul　getting　jealous　and　feeling　second　best　when　Riley　needed　him　at　his　most　arrogant　today。　I　couldn’t　be　sure；　and　I　wasn’t　going　to　ask。　I　kept　quiet；　as　usual；　and　watched　the　training。　　In　the　end；　watching　was　boring；　thirsty　work。　Riley　didn’t　give　his　army　a　break　for　three　days　and　two　nights　straight。　During　the　daytime　it　was　harder　to　stay　out　of　the　mix　we　all　were　crammed　so　tightly　into　the　basement。　It　made　things　easier　in　one　way　for　Rileyhe　could　usually　catch　a　fight　
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before　it　got　ugly。　Outside　at　night；　they　had　more　room　to　really　work　around　each　other；　but　Riley　was　kept　busy　darting　back　and　forth　to　catch　limbs　and　get　them　back　to　their　owners　quickly。　He　kept　his　temper　well；　and　he’d　been　smart　enough　to　find　all　the　lighters　this　time。　I　would　have　bet　that　this　would　spin　out　of　control；　that　we’d　lose　at　least　a　couple　of　coven　members　with　Raoul　and　Kristie　skirmishing　head　to　head　for　days　on　end。　But　Riley　had　better　control　of　them　than　I　had　thought　possible。　　Still；　it　was　mostly　repetition。　I　noticed　Riley　saying　the　same　things　over　and　over　and　over　again。　Work　together；　watch　your　back；　don’t　go　at　her　headon；　work　together；　watch　your　back；　don’t　go　at　him　headon；　work　together；　watch　your　back；　don’t　go　at　her　headon。　It　was　kind　of　ridiculous；　really；　and　made　the　group　seem　exceptionally　stupid。　But　I　was　sure　I　would　have　been　just　as　stupid　if　I’d　been　in　the　thick　of　the　fight　with　them　rather　than　watching　calmly　from　the　sidelines　with　Fred。　　It　reminded　me　in　a　way　of　how　Riley　had　drilled　into　us　our　fear　of　the　sun。　Constant　repetition。　　Still；　it　was　so　dull　that　after　about　ten　hours　that　first　day；　Fred　produced　a　deck　of　cards　and　started　playing　solitaire。　That　was　more　interesting　than　watching　the　same　mistakes　over　and　over　again；　so　I　mostly　watched　him。　　After　about　another　twelve　hours　　we　were　inside　again　I　nudged　Fred　to　point　out　a　red　five　that　he　could　move　over。　He　nodded　and　made　the　change。　After　that　hand；　he　dealt　out　the　cards　to　both　of　us；　and　we　played　rummy。　We　never　spoke；　but　Fred　smiled　a　few　times。　No　one　ever　looked　our　way　or　asked　
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us　to　join　in。　　There　were　no　hunting　breaks；　and　as　time　went　on；　this　got　harder　and　harder　to　ignore。　Fights　broke　out　more　regularly　and　with　less　provocation。　Riley’s　mands　got　more　shrill；　and　he　tore　off　two　arms　himself。　I　tried　to　forget　the　burning　thirst　as　much　as　possible　after　all；　Riley　must　have　been　getting　thirsty；　too；　so　this　couldn’t　last　forever　　　but　mostly　thirst　was　the　only　thing　on　my　mind。　Fred　was　looking　pretty　strained。　　Early　into　the　third　night　one　more　day　to　go；　and　when　I　thought　about　the　ticking　clock　it　tied　my　empty　stomach