mc.prey-第74章

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　I　flicked　the　lighter　off。　There　was　nothing　for　me　to　do。　I　just　stood　there；　feeling　foolish。　I　thought　I　smelled　a　faint　odor　in　the　room。　A　kind　of　sweetish；　nauseating　odor。　But　I　couldn't　be　sure。
　〃It　was　a　nice　try；　though；〃　Julia　said。　〃But　enough　is　enough。〃　She　turned　to　the　men；　and　jerked　her　head。　The　three　of　them　walked　toward　me。　I　said；　〃Hey　guys；　e　on　。。。〃　They　didn't　react。　Their　faces　were　impassive。　They　grabbed　me　and　I　started　to　struggle。　〃Hey；　e　on　now　。。。〃　I　pulled　free　of　them。　〃Hey！〃　Ricky　said；　〃Don't　make　it　any　harder　for　us；　Jack；〃　and　I　said；　〃Fuck　you；　Ricky；〃　and　I　spit　in　his　face　just　as　they　threw　me　to　the　floor。　I　was　hoping　the　virus　would　get　in　his　mouth。　I　was　hoping　I　would　delay　him；　that　we　would　have　a　fight。　Anything　for　a　delay。　But　they　threw　me　to　the　floor；　and　then　they　all　fell　on　me　and　began　to　strangle　me。　I　could　feel　their　hands　on　my　neck。　Bobby　had　his　hands　over　my　mouth　and　nose。　I　tried　to　bite　him。　He　just　kept　his　hands　firmly　in　place　and　stared　at　me。　Ricky　smiled　distantly　at　me。　It　was　as　if　he　didn't　know　me；　had　no　feeling　for　me。　They　were　all　strangers；　killing　me　efficiently　and　quickly。　I　pounded　on　them　with　my　fists；　until　Ricky　got　his　knee　on　one　of　my　arms；　pinning　it　down；　and　Bobby　got　the　other　arm。　Now　I　couldn't　move　at　all。　I　tried　to　kick　my　legs；　but　Julia　was　sitting　on　my　legs。　Helping　them　out。　I　saw　the　world　start　to　turn　misty　before　my　eyes。　A　faint　and　misty　gray。
　Then　there　was　a　faint　popping　sound；　almost　like　popcorn；　or　glass　cracking；　and　then　Julia　screamed；　〃What　is　that？〃
　The　three　men　released　me；　and　got　to　their　feet。　They　walked　away　from　me。　I　lay　on　the　ground；　coughing。　I　didn't　even　try　to　get　up。
　〃What　is　that？〃　Julia　yelled。
　The　first　of　the　octopus　tubes　burst　open；　high　above　us。　Brown　liquid　steam　hissed　out。　Another　tube　popped　open；　and　another。　The　sound　of　hissing　filled　the　room。　The　air　was　turning　dark　foggy　brown；　billowing　brown。
　Julia　screamed　〃What　is　that？〃
　〃It's　the　assembly　line；〃　Ricky　said。　〃It's　overheated。　And　it's　blowing。〃
　〃How？　How　can　that　happen？〃
　I　sat　up；　still　coughing；　and　got　to　my　feet。　I　said；　〃No　safety　systems；　remember？　You　turned　them　off。　Now　it's　blowing　virus　all　through　this　room。〃
　〃Not　for　long；〃　Julia　said。　〃We'll　have　the　safeties　back　in　two　seconds。〃　Ricky　was　already　standing　at　the　control　board；　frantically　hitting　keys。
　〃Good　thinking；　Julia；〃　I　said。　I　lit　my　cigarette　lighter；　and　held　it　under　the　sprinkler　head。
　Julia　screamed；　〃Stop！　Ricky；　stop！〃
　Ricky　stopped。
　I　said；　〃Damned　if　you　do；　damned　if　you　don't。〃
　Julia　turned　in　fury　and　hissed；　〃I　hate　you。〃
　Already　her　body　was　turning　shades　of　gray；　fading　to　a　kind　of　monochrome。　So　was　Ricky；　the　color　washing　out　of　him。　It　was　the　virus　in　the　air；　already　affecting　their　swarms。　There　was　a　brief　crackle　of　sparks；　from　high　in　the　octopus　arms。　Then　another　short　lightning　arc。　Ricky　saw　it　and　yelled；　〃Forget　it；　Julia！　We　take　our　chances！〃　He　hit　the　keys　and　turned　the　safety　system　back　on。　Alarms　started　to　sound。　The　screens　flashed　red　with　the　excess　concentrations　of　methane　and　other　gases。　The　main　screen　showed：　safety　systems　on。　And　the　sprinklers　burst　into　cones　of　brown　spray。
　*　*　*
　They　screamed　as　the　water　touched　them。　They　were　writhing　and　beginning　to　shrink；　to　shrivel　right　before　my　eyes。　Julia's　face　was　contorted。　She　stared　at　me　with　pure　hatred。　But　already　she　was　starting　to　dissolve。　She　fell　to　her　knees；　and　then　onto　her　back。　The　others　were　all　rolling　on　the　floor；　screaming　in　pain。
　〃e　on；　Jack。〃　Someone　was　tugging　at　my　sleeve。　It　was　Mae。　〃e　on；〃　she　said。　〃This　room　is　full　of　methane。　You　have　to　go。〃
　I　hesitated；　still　looking　at　Julia。　Then　we　turned　and　ran。
　　
　DAY　7　
　9：11　A。M。
　The　helicopter　pilot　pushed　the　doors　open　as　we　ran　across　the　pad。　We　jumped　in。　Mae　said；　〃Go！〃
　He　said；　〃I'll　have　to　insist　you　get　your　harnesses　on　before…〃
　〃Fly　this　fucking　thing！〃　I　yelled。
　〃Sorry；　it's　a　regulation；　and　it's　not　safe…〃
　Black　smoke　started　to　pour　out　of　the　power　station　door　we　had　just　e　out　of。　It　billowed　into　the　blue　desert　sky。
　The　pilot　saw　it　and　said；　〃Hang　on！〃
　We　lifted　off　and　headed　north；　swinging　wide　of　the　building。　Now　there　was　smoke　ing　from　all　the　exhaust　vents　near　the　roof。　A　black　haze　was　rising　into　the　air。　Mae　said；　〃Fire　burns　the　nanoparticles　and　the　bacteria；　too。　Don't　worry。〃
　The　pilot　said；　〃Where　are　we　going？〃
　〃Home。〃
　He　headed　west；　and　within　minutes　we　had　left　the　building　behind。　It　disappeared　below　the　horizon。　Mae　was　sitting　back　in　her　seat；　eyes　closed。　I　said　to　her；　〃I　thought　it　was　going　to　blow　up。　But　they　turned　the　safety　system　back　on　again。　So　I　guess　it　won't。〃　She　said　nothing。
　I　said；　〃So　what　was　the　big　rush　to　get　out　of　there？　And　where　were　you；　anyway？　Nobody　could　find　you。〃
　She　said；　〃I　was　outside；　in　the　storage　shed。〃
　〃Doing　what？〃
　〃Looking　for　more　thermite。〃
　〃Find　any？〃
　There　was　no　sound。　Just　a　flash　of　yellow　light　that　spread　across　the　desert　horizon　for　an　instant；　and　then　faded。　You　could　almost　believe　it　never　happened。　But　the　helicopter　rocked　and　jolted　as　the　shock　wave　passed　us。
　The　pilot　said；　〃Holy　Mother　of　God；　what　was　that？〃
　〃Industrial　accident；〃　I　said。　〃Very　unfortunate。〃
　He　reached　for　his　radio。　〃I　better　report　it。〃
　〃Yes；〃　I　said。　〃You　better　do　that。〃
　We　flew　west；　and　I　saw　the　green　line　of　the　forest　and　the　rolling　foothills　of　the　Sierras；　as　we　crossed　into　California。
　　
　DAY　7　
　11：57　P。M。
　It's　late。
　Almost　midnight。　The　house　is　silent　around　me。　I　am　not　sure　how　this　will　turn　out。　The　kids　are　all　desperately　sick；　throwing　up　after　I　gave　them　the　virus。　I　can　hear　my　son　and　daughter　retching　in　separate　bathrooms。　I　went　in　to　check　on　them　a　few　minutes　ago；　to　see　what　was　ing　up。　Their　faces　were　deathly　pale。　I　can　see　they're　afraid；　because　they　know　I'm　afraid。　I　haven't　told　them　about　Julia　yet。　They　haven't　asked。　They're　too　sick　to　ask　right　now。
　I'm　worried　most　about　the　baby；　because　I　had　to　give　her　the　virus；　too。　It　was　her　only　hope。　Ellen's　with　her　now；　but　Ellen　is　vomiting；　too。　The　baby　has　yet　to　throw　up。　I　don't　know　whether　that's　good　or　bad。　Young　kids　react　differently。
　I　think　I'm　okay；　at　least　for　the　moment。　I'm　dead　tired。　I　think　I've　been　dozing　off　from　time　to　time　all　night。　Right　now　I'm　sitting　here　looking　out　the　back　window；　waiting　for　Mae。　She　hopped　the　fence　at　the　end　of　my　backyard；　and　is　probably　scrambling　around　in　the　brush　on　the　slope　that　goes　down　behind　the　property；　where　the　sprinklers　are。　She　thought　there　was　a　faint　green　light　ing　from　somewhere　down　the　slope。　I　told　her　not　to　go　down　there　alone；　but　I'm　too　tired　to　go　get　her。　If　she　waits　until　tomorrow；　the　Army　can　e　here　with　flame　throwers　and　blast　the　hell　out　of　whatever　it　is。
　The　Army　is　acting　dumb　about　this　whole　thing；　but　I　have　Julia's　puter　here　at　home；　and　I　have　an　email　trail　on　her　hard　drive。　I　removed　the　hard　drive；　just　to　be　safe。　I　duped　it；　and　put　the　original　in　a　safe　deposit　box　in　town。　I'm　not　really　worried　about　the　Army。　I'm　worried　about　Larry　Handler　and　the　others　at　Xymos。　They　know　they　have　horrific　lawsuits　on　their　hands。　The　pany　will　declare　bankruptcy　sometime　this　week；　but　they're　still　liable　for　criminal　charges。　Larry　especially。　I　wouldn't　cry　if　he　went　to　jail。　Mae　and　I　have　managed　to　put　together　most　of　the　events　of　the　past　few　days。　My　daughter's　rash　was　caused　by　gamma　assemblers…the　micromachines　that　assembled　finished　molecules　from　ponent　fragments。　The　gammas　must　have　been　on　Julia's　clothing　when　she　came　home　from　the　lab。　Julia　worried　about　that　possibility；　that　was　why　she　took　a　shower　as　soon　as　she　got　home。　The　lab　itself　had　good　decontamination　procedures；　but　Julia　was　interacting　with　the　swarms　outside　the　lab。　She　knew　there　was　a　danger。　Anyway；　that　night　she　accidentally　let　the　gammas　loose　in　the　nursery。　The　gamma　assemblers　are　designed　to　cut　microfragments　of　silicon；　b