도박사 잭/6권

Chapter 6 - King

On the night after the day Halle visited, Jack headed to the harbor as the card instructed. In a rare show of sobriety, he hadn't had a drop of booze.

He realized at some point that he was being followed. Just as well, he knew it was someone acting on behalf of Enrique.

'Don't worry,' he yelled as he stopped and turned. 'I ain't gonna run or hide from this.'

No one answered.

'Tch. What a boring fella you are.'

Turning back around, Jack continued on. That night was a dark one, with neither moonlight nor a single star piercing the cloud-shrouded sky. Jack only had the road lamps to guide him as he meandered through the empty streets, and as he did, memories of the grand match between him and King flooded back...

King's legendary skills had earned him his nickname to match. He had been both Jack's teacher...and his greatest rival.

Seven years ago, Jack and King had played the game of their lives.

It was Jack who found himself the winner. Their game was used by the privileged in the underworld of the Republic to decide the outcome of a struggle for power. King, forced to take responsibility for losing, was killed. Though indirect, it could not be denied that Jack's win had been King's ultimate loss.

Around an hour after leaving the bar, he reached the harbor. The smell of refuse and brine wafted in on a warm breeze. An enormous boat was floating on the dark night sea just ahead, waves lapping quietly at its sides. Its hull was painted a solid black, making it almost impossible to see.

It was the same boat Jack and King had been on for that final, fateful game.

As Jack approached the gangway, he was met by a small silhouette from the shadows--Halle.

'Welcome, Victory Jack,' she said. 'I really didn't think you would come all the way out here on your own two feet. Heh. I have to admit, you've got courage.'

'...'

Normally Jack might have had a joke or a comeback, but tonight alone he was a different man. Glancing at Halle, he boarded the ship without a word.

The light from the portals shone blue, glinting off his eyes as he passed. The sound of the steam whistle was swallowed by the lonely darkness, and slowly, the ship slipped free from the harbor and out to sea.

第６回　キング

ハルが酒場を訪れた次の日の夜、ジャックはあのカード内容に従って港に向かっていた。珍しいことに、酒は一滴もやっていなかった。

誰かに尾けられているのは気づいていた。ジャックにはそれがエンリケという男の使いであることもわかっている。

「安心しな。俺は逃げも隠れもしねえよ。」後ろを振り返り、大声で叫ぶ。……だが、反応は返ってこない。「ちっ、つまんねえヤツラだな。」向き直り、再び寂しい裏道を歩き出した。

今夜は月のない新月の夜。ジャックは街灯の光だけを頼りに、夜道をひたすら歩いた。かつてキングと繰り広げた大勝負、その光景を思い浮かべながら………

あまりの強さから、「キング」と呼ばれた伝説のギャンブラー。キングこそはジャックの師匠であり、また同時に最高のライバルでもあった。７年前、ジャックはキングと一世一代の大勝負をし――ジャックはその戦いの勝利者となった。

２人の勝負は、共和国の闇に巣くう有力者たちの権力争いに利用されていた。キングは敗北の責任を取る形で……殺された。間接的であれ、ジャックがキングを殺したことはまぎれもない事実だった。

酒場を出て小一時間ほど経った頃、ようやく彼の眼前に港の景色が広がった。

暗闇の洋上に巨大な船がひっそりと浮かんでいる。……７年前、ジャックとキングが乗り込んだ船だ。漆黒の塗装を施された船体は、闇に紛れよく目を凝らさない限りその存在には気付かない。

タラップに近づくジャックを、小さな人影が出迎えた――ハルだ。

「ようこそ、ヴィクトリー・ジャック。」

「まさかそうやって、自分の足で来てくれるとは思わなかったわ。」

「フフ、その度胸だけは認めてあげる。」

「………………………」いつもなら軽口の一つでも叩くジャックだが、今夜だけは様子が違った。ハルを横目に、彼はさっそうと船に乗り込む。船窓の光を浴び、その瞳が蒼く輝いた。

汽笛の音が深い闇に吸い込まれる。やがて、船はゆっくりと岸壁から離れていった。