# The Society Of

Лев Переводчик Шкловский

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THE CULT OF THE LEOPARD'

sonses blood, W. Cartor. I bolievo it is your blood

he smells. That is truly unfortunate. Shall havo to 1011

h"n. No cat can remain in captivity woo has tasted

htrt'an bbod,••

"You're broakir.g my heart" I hissed.

A sadistic smile broke on his IOS. Carefully. with one

eya still the steps, he moved from the head o! the

stairway,

"Vadu has always been my favorite pet: • he spat. "Bit

Since he must die, it is only fair he get a last meal.

Please, W. Carter. I wish you to down those

answer, another rumbling roar camod up trom thn

stairwell, My belly iced over at the thought 01 facing

death at ftw locoards jaws.

NICK CARTER IS rr!

"Nick Carter out-Bonds James Bond

—Buffalo Evening News

"Nick Carter is America's 41 espionage agent."

Variety

Nick Carter is razor-sharp suspense,"

—King Features

"Nick Carter is extraordinarily big

—Bestsellers

"Nick Carter has attracted an army of addicted

readers the books are fast, have plenty of ac-

lion and just the right degree Of sex . Nick Carter

is the American James Bond. suave. sophisticated,

a killer with both the ladies and the enemy."

—The New York Times


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THE SOCIETY OF

SCR'IE"Y OV

Copyright e 1981 by Nast Publicaions.

All rights reserved) No Of this hook be reproduced in any

form by amy •nean•, except the inclusion of hnef quoGtions

a review, Without in publiSber.

All characters io this tw•ok art fictitious. Any reembIMi€e to actual

persons. or dead, is purely

A Owner (Yigin•i.

is Of Nast

tiotB, Inc.. regisgeted in the Unjted States Patent Office.

First Oartet Ponting April 1981

Published simultaneously in Canada

Manufactured in 'he Umge:d States Of AmeriG

246809531


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CHAPTER ONE

Teeming •ad Algiers. Boiling

ttnore Se Mor«co to thc

east and lubya to and s,hgNiy crazy , it

in me sun.

A.mi. it.

the sidewalk Liberatüm. Ntielding

my eyes were gl•ses Ot' darkest available. but 1

still squinted them •t the glaring sun as

danced off me uny

Hoe

Hell. yes. an aware oc my

own sweat •s it segrd *nxgh the white linen of my

shirt and painted daut slightly over-

I checked my issue •eith special

dc•xxlads special

My twenty miDiiÄes late. natis

never a Pleasant 00m. to get the

jiuers. eitt«. i few Of • sweet

mint tea, and allowed my eyes u»

sum.wnd;ings anyth4ng frightening,

ne café itself the soewa.lk cube 01

the large aV<1UO leading titc Casbir Around me

sac a t:usiÄs tyve taxriso, none Of

whom showed in A.H were

ei&et lost in their own or gaping at the

endless parade and uss•pulled

2

NRX CARTER

cans plodding up final 10 the

walls o' tie Obd City ,

In I pov

pourri of chatte SIEt'tifi,ed t.heit The

thc worid's oldest center.

" 'Would cue unre

His voice my chair,

As my eyes waiter •s puz—

*led cmvession gave way u:) g smile that re-

vcale:d rvld•cqn gaps teeth bave been

" 'More tea.

/'Oh. yes' Yes. of "hed. using Freneh€

'Ilse language lasted. even O•ough French

' • Merci, plese."

He darted of. leaving up what reqnained

or my

due

Three twenty-two.

Clever. Carter. All 4"' two Since you last

checked. When sart a minute. they

hand to

comfy eon&i in

hmpy" I was. were a of

for it. Not the ot was Algjers

My eyes rolled back to '"ty street to

wilere It das4veued in old city

'd to them Rabat. Cas*lanca,

Fez. even Qaddaffi 's strongyok:i, Tripoli.

But Algiers was

It was a City. a c—serobe Of mixed cultures

that tren b*ing in sun fcr frousands of

years, until it har&rrd imo cetunic Any•

thing that bast little bit


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Fez. even Qaddaff' 's Trtpoli.

But Algv•ers was

It was a hÄifiting city. a c—serobe Of mixed cultures

that tren baking in sun fcr frousands of

years, it har&oed imo cetunic permanence , Any•

thing that *ast little bit

S•tEM5tY

But also myseriou:s . my•saeri«us.

I-uc the two up the av-

emue, long as they

nude thew way through hugnanity in short.

stndes. •overed. but the nash-

ing onyx oi their eyes b.ke a mueuin calling

tie faithful to

I have bec in that the

fentaje •o (he •nen sunething is

Jeh no the (h b.as. Muslu•n women

Win the men 01

have wot;nen ia a sea Of gurrnems..

allowing a cfclive skin to peel from

trhund theu veds. Ax] yet. sp.•te cf drir limited

exposure. Arab wcn:r• seem to within

thernselve;s and you usung rwU1ing more

than tb.eic eyes.

Eye.' s.o:ft up

As ne•ed thc one

to me locked bet eyes oo anne. Them curiosity in

her gaze. curiosity iXfZdiHe y«.uth. I saniled urd

gave her a bnef expecting to make an

e retreat.

She didn •t

it ber even '*isetrating.

stulfeoed 'hehdy an my •kep

Of net •ecard etrough A

charge of •dre.n•.nne bcuvng With it ute

awareness I just nugN fung my contact,

I jusn review of the agreed

upon recognition •when tie spell was

'thc intensity

of contact •o' bet compan•on.

stratghteoed up ha me young

4

girt's shouter eyes kefi cfft:red

tm,ek "nlogy to Oe and returned

g humble sa•eet her.

I settled bxk Otve rn«e consulted

the my

'[hrce

A five mtnu•e Lapse. netter. Cx•er. much better,

J trip gr•.an or

How could I m:nu.k.en eyes •nguvent

eontaet? In an my had encoun-

hundreds of taco. all wuth their own

veils Ot secrecy; eyes.

Hud eyes. never were, The eyes

lcx»ked foc were like had no

warmth.

They were me sure eyes I shaved with every n•vom-

ing-

had gid •s eyes. but

all a

disgu•se; either of m*ingc« someone else 's,

As did now. in my o•vn sweat, of Mr.

Wilie Geis, New York.

Willie had two one. a *Tist

you ccwl€Wt keep and two. •

genius for had saved my on more

thgw

With Wilie had turned my hair

from its to rusty ted it now diS-

TO be aousta«he to n•ureh.

came the ag the of my right

eyeh«ow and dogn the a

scar so real a

'Wie final veil was by AXE. My identity:

Liarn c;idzen Irish revolution.


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came the scat, the eod oi my right

eyeh«ow and down XfO", the cteeLbone. a

scar SO real a du.ute

'Wie final veil was by AXE. My identity:

Liam McL)xucl. Bgitøh Irish revolution.

SCKIETY OF NINE

' "Your tea. memriea•

• "Metej. I the pile

on the table in

nuke j,äßt

sn.Jdied duk-skinæd face unecrtajnly.

He like •

between dans

ward my

res•gnation at mixture

he hx' two;oght. The of tea to

fill my head. akng cane an unfamiliar bite.

My palate strug@ed to i&nüfy the H.R lu:»

success, Chly ox clew

Wh•tever ge•o the t'ew. it

coholiC. and it

' •TO *tat 00 1 gasped,

His smile got irnp«gNy '"Algiers is to

relax, monsieur. it is a city of life. see you arc

relaxed. monsieur, so gy .

. 1 relax ' ' His

smile • '1 did nght, man•ieur?'

'"Yes." r did very right!"

r addCd two hb Of t*blc and

watched him away. hack - gratefully siß'i:ng

die result of my . . andeotnage.

This near Muslim. and therefore

very oon"cobOlie he if then•nm

ugcmc;nt caught hiÄ booze to natives or

Nothin€ changed. waves danced

their eran• patte,ms up y—ect. didn let them

hypoo,nrei me. beyond hem. search-

ing, looking tc« the

It was an hü"d. Of the

The

mcx CARTER

I work AXE. a tranch of United

States AXE •s whose select

members carry It's a club

you get ani you usually in a

coffin. if they to fill one up, You

spend rnny y•exs I iuve rnaintwning ya»r

, and Jean u»rely very heavily your

My instincts were va•y Clear it»ut fis

"üssion snkWed.

I sip my spiked tea. and allowed my

mind all had led me to Ove Café

h.rd mess had started

only "htee Off assigntnent

in see:n» quar•tittes Of

fimonable maten•l vete way or me

nucleu unit San (horre. arul reapvx:arine iO

Libyan Oe

go. one was but I was scill

due ior a two g a.*i g.

Pam been mine.. one of

thq.»e rue mumages of bewt"Y and trains that could

make u lma.o to serous dioughts. she

a sculpted

bones. by silky hair. hysi.

cany she was cA "kdwm elegandy

limbs that bcw&red on shght. Bug however ecmomical

mother pag:a ' s she hul more

than up it Bir ot' huge that

danced teasingly tteoe*h any thar u:ied

covet mem.

And they had dMtcing SO that after-

no«t Ihree days tx•fo«

We were midway of tennis,


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d,nnced tewingly any thar tried

cover mem.

Anci they had SO afte«-

no€r•t Ihree days &fore

We were midway afe;rnooo of tennis,

soaery OF

Whit wilh the my expec-

Of the down two

to one was g.nes to love un the

fOurth ,

I coubd not eared

Twice before I åe promises

in me loveiy bdy•seyes. twice before me anempt

disinvegr•ted i.n gurnrnons trom

But ti:ne.

She sent the my backhand , I

took a trad it. But twist of English

tunrd it back into J was regurn it

limply into

Set

I moved •o to basking in the

ruliance 'Eth so perfect you

could

I was vo. I beard acar screech to a

just beyond

•sR I knew,

Jift:ing my lip Oe hers. I rolled to

rwripheril visicn inev sure.

Se&n. Dari blue radio didn play blues

Jt played frun to a •ne that

hooked up to 'The And Wire Set-

like logo

Bur to i' AXE. 1 I

was

I muttered a to Pxn. went to meet •

me approaching I he got

it, Code Red . . . Imnædi*te.

meanr evea chthes, bat I trggeU a

- few •ecowb my to thc

No tumed than saw her

racquet •e her sweet buttoeks

CARTA

&rging out gate the chain

fence.

J "*bed. to—het we made

the silent he hoar of AXE

and •ts

Ikjectedly. I office

Hxwk 's Gi•ger over ber

Gweet as •nd as doe her

hon•r stMe But also

wore •n M'mcr over fbe• •as tar

colder i •d Se«.ed it U".d even put

cot4Ae of Oiinks in 1 'd penetrated it.

li •nvth•ns •nvo•ne than

me had Qi. it Ginger. why it

so pinful look ar me and surted

rippå•ng nose did to her

that very wiå Pxn

• 'You 're "

can •t he#' it."

• hit

in a rerun Of

Spy"

I gave a quick to tmn•i•, cn,Jtfi' J

searched a

• the test 1 could

She t'nust have sensed my her next

move was 'o •alk around me.

give peck

hooey. every oonce Of

her Soutik,rn vowe. ' 'Why i ah

declue, Ashley seem to in quite a

SCXÆTY

9


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give me lighl peck

sir every 'fjonce Of

her voice. ' •my. ah

declue, Ashley see,m to in quite a

SCXÆTY

9

State. Now y 'an Mah is

yours next y. hea.h!"

Jn myseu. my lips, I

stared into cleavage between

her tnasts, and felt •.r•ge fog s.hghdy in my

* 'Why. thank y'all. my to

match het syrupy cJeg»ces *Ges this n•ucan

eart ya.•r

She laughed herself even

tighter against • 'Welli nghdy know,

AAh1ey. .

anyone y'all w•nt.••

The ghnt in her eye no to her mening.,

and Pam tcok three mare giant steps toward being a

"knuvy. Once rr«e why it was that I had

Of AXE'S

As ouv mutual t thcvught coold

sense the westt•o•• hngenng in mind. It

even our

joking echc•ed reality of our

twc.hing

Pam who?

J my hands until I coold cup soft

next hot"? • '

lunch. •e of

the S ecmta.ry Snte . - after J ate

off•ce. ' •

" 'Did yen* evet it in the bKk of a Oevy when

you were a little

. Anditwas

Cadillac.

A •s so•ee barked over

' 'Baternao. get

• 'How I "ked,

10

NICK CARTü

"I she dways Ors

doesn't

" •Always ,

reucta.mjy broke away. my tiu»ghts for

Tieu entry into •s sarxtum. As I teared the

, Ginger's voice haned

I tuned.

An i:npish sroi.k xro«s lovely as she

gestured gowanl my • 'Nice tvn"" Her

eyebrows began Jc+ng gp &vwn like a man ' s

Groucho

i'Bitch." door into Hawk's I

office. my best to the on my lace.

I eoteted and wit' mree differ-

o/' leather.

mahogany. always pertneaged

Duvvd two. the ctu•elcd features •.nd

fligny eyes Of Duvid HÄ and three.

uncupecied patty.

My gloo•n qo•cv.ly turned relief pleasure as

stranger's It was Davidson Hat.

court.

ounured. Wc times

U .S..BntiSh ve.rguves, opposite euuls or

his desk. Onnyege:e I. mxted ham in field,

tradecraft movaf to and cteauve as

his Ituod.

Hucout's frail b€;dy. dirunished aen nure by the

sun he wore. r•ose geet me. Hiseycs revealei

theur own de"ght, rn•gaitkd

spectacks he always He thrust hus skn«kf

0M toward rte.

"'i say, oki mm. "Ihing

well. I see. Yes,

"Defuulely.•• 1 'iVery well inked. • '

SCCIET'Y NINE

J clasped his with one


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* •I •y.•oid mm. "I%ing

well. I se. Yes, "

"Definnely.•• 1 ' Nery well inked. • '

SCCIET'Y NINE

J Clasped his BMete•d with one

give •njured t»rd. ot things

Harcourt that •cinsw/eaged frail"

When. in reality, he could to

That ww how he

in a of

• iObvicw•ly it was

Hawk ile mewe in •Efeg-

ence to his guest than me. 1 sure. nn has

voxe let au it • arne business and

•ne three Of' us settled into c".irs. and I awaited the

st«n tones Hawk •s

It Jong

to off leave. NO arregular. I

sure you sce me necessity wc move along. '

"I sir. It mest ' '

"It is, Hawk assured. • 'I it would be best

if Harcourt filled you an first.

I *'Yes, of course. " as he shifted

in his chair and cvened *vetca« lyvng on the floor

next him.

seems then: was a in of the

shabbier ectiqms of SW'. name wus Liam

McDaniel.

over to belote

• ilo,c.l tt«ed flat. and a

routine searctl. of it possess«.i a

number of rather You'll see them

listed atout "

/ My eye. to the bncketed I"'ting. I t was

SNIPER •S

RIFLE. CUSIOM.BORED. nn-I. BREAK.

CARTA

nows CAPACITY SNIPER'S SCOPE WITH

INFRA-RED ONE RIFLE SILENCER;

EXPIXANC, SHELLS!

*'hisued softly. like awin at an

mutte«d.

"Fortunately. way. '*hat

with magmtude and the

fact that hw elqvi.ngs

temnst •tucks evreao the felt

inclined to coM•ct '

Hucourt r•used baccy KY out his Pipe and

pawe to re-ceuew the

liu tx,fore

can by of

hardwn. says volume. A sample

hnd gun Plonnfk say Of tVOüvngs their

user one, he's an cr two. he's expendable.

•me scoß implies at cerein ct:mcetn surviv.

al', it creates implies more;

distance atui secrecy. •t exnjgh confus.on as

to source and Ot esc•e.

'Dve fine pr•ifit woven the listing Mfered

even greater The rifW with eus-

tom tailoring on the qghO. Ikftnitely professional,

rifle hod a

tastes. The tnan

and was nnqnrt •o it, Very

sional,

bullets awle theil own Wtiile

we.qson,s talk •bout then [then. Shells reveai targas,

There are two ways me C*.n

suffer from use cv•wns can

hit, thereby br,rsg can

Wiiss me desared such internal shcx•k

that the target Will gens,h. Messy , effecuve„

SOCIETY

Exploding Shells

my •nd two

seveni

N. rated


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that the target Will gens.h. Messy , enecuve„

SOCIETY

Exploding term&ted seveni

my friendships. •nd two N.r•ted

liinrn•stas frit I had have unjque

te human

liwid't t•ettt than I 'vd per•

Ilgma.lly watched sim afe shoald have

Oted to no mewe • Sh«lder oc leg wouml.

'Whoever Ote mm 's was obvi-

y very

M y gate to , churning out

e Needed Tutt'* and vanilla to•

baccos by *toch I Th•d to recognize his

His voice. crcqing amo« stem, was not

•thout irony.

• believe the what?'"

J only

moved •n. gave Oc a thorough

-see. They mmaeed a:' diz •.W "

Harcourt imo his trielcase

up a rat»er frayed

" •It seems geot kg:vt a düry. r•åer elunsy

. Easy eoouW) fu ches to ck'wu„

give yua a

'Ibe into triefcaseo

aid he handed o•eetto •heal of pages. i

tn.-,eny

Ihink you find bloke really quite candid

hin:xseåf. but 'o he sens (o

teen biding his time and instruc-

'We thought so at first. in (be

and wa"ed to creep •m.'t the

The tesu/%, were

pulled frc«n the case.

• 'These arrival day. by regulu post." He

handed the ova to

coasusted ci several Shipping all iO

geming €wd.ct. and a typed sheet of rnsmactjons for the

of a sma.n cf religious be

sent to Cav«own, Swth Afoca

has

the he han•

Wes. Inn nc:üiag big

'Ihe rest cd u»ounted to more t.hü a

to Alpers. •other typed sheet Of

' •once me were certain that there

no they

over to live to '*hwh the

guns •e a

take of Che con•

sttnment. Hucot"'t chair

song Rather an

that cne He Ot Anglo-Insh by

hinh. and 'O' he I.R.A.

cu•4Ee, But h" emooms seem to cEave any o'

be to bc be opvress«i

' 'A freelancer'" i

wouid .»earso, yes nod&d.

explosion of srmke hrs pwe. ' •Bui

that's the first 10 tn»ther

he pused, n*towang. ym

know. Nicholas. assassuns are really quite

identifiablc . . . execution. if

by face. i'! 's ••y of mening , Bu

SCKtFTY Of

McDaniels •a4 a pun:le. His

qu•tr as you can .

special toted rtOe. etc. Really +iite

Can


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SCKtFTY Of

McDaniels a puzzle. Hi'

eqw•pmeot qu•tt you can see .

special toted rifle. etc. Really +iite xn

assemblage lar •e can no record

I myself bis '"No on

him ai all? ' •

i Not Ot. any of oor gister

intelligence the is Kittle

that sud&aiy upen *N." Shores. And

that is the ses:cmd 11k. Widi SO

on the '*ivy go a rookie?

• i Anything

' te hexn

• 'Our only ch4' do•ng the

us

was that were ±rough some

black fellow . . be•vÜy ud by sound

of as Swül Africu. as stupgng Ä/dcess,

had to agree was many Icose

eods io

est knots

"'But why cour to I like a

colonial to

"Two Etuany. Fist get

a bit ee:sty When we unto Ettie show

•t WC

iggu»te •t. of •c to dncteet

However. in rue 'mis l:atle mystery

hints that

Y anks had Wtere. Sotne-

thing big, by

}'larcourt's over to Hawk '4 If

hovea to a disap•

"'A1 any to if

CARTER

it mtght than and we

thought we td yaw ab•u.t it.

Jt. Hueort " It *'as the sound

Hawk began.

• We bave out

otttet.

Hawk

"And the I asied.

te«bed o»ce 'MO hg beomless

he Chuco

ling slightly ova a ph.0ü' to

say. old toy*"

I lo«Aed at nun in it ww

lying in me street, oi death on

his face. it. Tb,e on my own face

eouid have ten any less surpnged,

• 'McDan»el?" 1

'Indeed. my carr Hucourt•s reply.

"Uncnny. *'Ot!' •

I hxi reply. of the hair,

and the scat his I looking at

a perfect «.het thu:w yours truly,

A Nick Cuter!

1

CHAVIYR TWO


TWO

could only io If Mama Carter

a baby me t staring at

him , was eerie. eerie by

lying awd iO a

1 was luardly awæe of Hatcgn.rt 's from the

, I were a few grunting

his pl.ue reaeat. tt Hawk •s

own voice. now ret'.ÆTRd hö pzswoo behüxi die

. that finally bÄk to reality.

• 'SINNI'ky. 't it?' • HO, were over a

y cigu

h to catch my story?

Hawi smiled slightly. 'I news. and bad

I nodded. • 'In's 1

the of gc«fies Hanc.:ut 'üd on picture nd

all. 0010 desk and for the briefng.

place. there is

indeed a going in Smth Atne•. a real sweet

dol. if we can (WII itoff. As i 'm sure 'reaware. die

representation iswe is South Africa's bigget

Again i n«ided,

Hawk leaned bxk into h • 'And, 1'iVi

're awu•c. the Naci issue has been Rus-

inv•nuoo fO;r in Attica 'g souttetn

Another

18

I'm sue yt:e that recent]}

we-ve made "ogress; covert. Of

very sebsunu•.l ir&ed. As Hgca.art SO

subdely implied. things •e cooking for us.

'"Big?" 1 asked

His ww infectiws. i felt my*lf sanilirtg even

thß'kighthe huge bru.n. " I get

leaned paned the pile of raper•q I had

hiS you be guest

Of honor.

better know the liw

• iExcelIetA. He ro« began the office.

"Are With Joseph Nikumba?"

I the in my bank.

or, ' " in lhe

does Ctteep in the

*'He's • that," said. "At the-

mowve;nt. at •east of new, he's probably

the only key gax to South

Africa.

"'He sure keeps 1

• "We like it that

way. Actually, Leeprvg ot' the has been

reluuvely ewy, He wave gun. hc•s oeve.r

kilied any Angkt*. and be look ridiculous [n

bartle fatigues. Fvfess•or, As •result.

Scwth Afttc:an him 't

scat* Wh'tes. and wit* are

he'd toe:ars, He 's not

Ove stuff that ra.•es ute made of. '

"Pity," I chi}rd.

hintseif onto

SOCIETY

end 01 his He w•iuew the frorn his

p•cied lightly of tobacco that

were creep•ng ib shed•.hd end. He was

mos• nonchünt he ccntinæ&

' 'Wluat he is. however. biggest hcve we've

ever had 01 seeing Africa,


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