rstacy.doomsdaywarrior-第12章

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。　They　were　well　on　their　way　to　having　frostbitten　fingers　by　the　time　they　got　moving　again。　Danik　was　barely　conscious；　bundled　down　under　ten　layers　of　blankets　and　furs　in　Rockson's　sled。
　They　were　on　a　high　plateau；　totally　exposed　to　the　elements。　Rock　had　to　find　them　cover　now；　or　Danik　would　die。　And　the　mission　with　him。
　Rockson　took　up　the　infrared　binoculars　and　scanned　ahead。　The　binocs　cut　through　some　of　the　obscuring　effects　of　the　storm。　Dimly　Rockson　made　out　a　line　of　boulders　ten　or　twelve　miles　ahead；　down　from　their　exposed　position　on　the　hill；　in　a　little　valley。　Maybe　there　would　be　shelter　somewhere　in　that　jumble　of　rocks。　He　certainly　hoped　so。
　The　Doomsday　Warrior；　lifting　the　many　fur　coverings；　took　a　glance　at　Danik's　face。　It　was　ashen；　his　breathing　was　shallow。　He　hoped　he　would　last　till　they　got　there。
　It　took　another　twenty　minutes　to　get　into　the　sheltered　valley　and　find　a　group　of　three　huge　rocks。　There　was　a　space　between　the　them　big　enough　for　the　humans　to　scramble　through　with　their　tent　and　some　supplies　…　including　the　Primus　stove。
　Danik　had　to　be　passed　from　arms　to　arms　wrapped　in　his　blankets；　for　he　was　pletely　unconscious。　There　was　just　enough　room　to　set　up　the　survival　tent　there　among　the　boulders　out　of　the　wind。　With　frozen　determination；　they　acplished　that　task；　and　pulled　the　stove　inside　and　lit　it　up。　They　placed　Danik　closest　to　the　stove's　heat。　The　dogs　would　manage　in　the　lee　of　the　wind；　sleeping　in　a　huge　tumble　with　one　another。　They　had　the　stamina　to　do　so。
　There　in　the　rapidly　erected　silver　tent　the　cold　and　hungry　Freefighters　huddled。　As　the　tent　slowly　grew　warmer；　they　began　to　unpack　the　bundle　of　food…stuffs　Rock　had　dragged　along。　Danik　came　around　as　the　temperature　rose。　They　fed　him　some　hot　broth　McCaughlin　brewed　up　out　of　chunks　of　preserved　venison；　some　melted　snow；　and　vitamin　capsules。
　They　were　safe　from　Mother　Nature's　winter　wrath。　For　now。
　The　alarm　woke　him　up　at　six　o'clock；　McCaughlin　eased　out　among　them。　It　was　totally　dark。　It　shouldn't　be。　No　…　there　was　a　bit　of　light　at　the　very　peak　of　the　tent。　He　realized　they　were　nearly　buried　in　snow。　The　Scots…American　rose　up　to　full　height；　the　air　was　very　stale。　He　snapped　open　the　chimney　slit　in　the　tent　top。　It　instantly　got　colder；　but　the　air　was　okay。　He　peered　through　the　hole。　It　had　stopped　snowing…they　could　dig　out　later。　The　others　began　to　stir。
　McCaughlin　knew　what　was　needed　besides　his　jokes　to　restore　morale。　He　started　up　breakfast：　venison　strips　as　bacon　substitute　and　hot　coffee　and　biscuits　…　the　kind　you　just　put　in　a　pan　and　swell　up　once　you　cover　them　and　they　steam。　His　own　famous　trail　biscuits。
　Sniffing　the　food　odors　did　more　to　awaken　his　panions　than　did　the　alarm。　〃Rise　and　shine；　mateys；　breakfast　is　all　ready。〃
　〃Never　heard　a　more　pleasant　sentence；〃　Rockson　said。　He　turned　up　the　Coleman　lamp　and　looked　around　at　the　bundled…up　Freefighters　now　ing　to　life。　〃Why　is　it　so　dark　in　here？〃
　McCaughlin　explained。　Rock　frowned。　〃Of　course　…　how　could　I　be　so　stupid　…　we　could　have　suffocated。〃
　〃Not　with　you　along　we　couldn't；〃　McCaughlin　said。　〃You　have　mutant's　luck；　remember？〃
　Danik　lay　half　asleep　still　on　Rockson's　sled　when　they　set　off　on　their　way　again。　He　was　still　the　worse　for　wear；　but　improving　rapidly　after　the　warmth　and　sleep　and　good　food。　The　warming　sunbeams　seemed　to　bring　the　man　around　further。
　Rockson　took　sun　readings　every　three　hours；　when　they　paused　for　hot　green　tea　…　an　Eskimo　custom　Rock　had　picked　up。
　Scheransky　asked　Rockson　to　e　to　look　at　some　odd　ice　formations　a　bit　away　from　the　others。　He　had　something；　he　said；　on　his　mind。　Rockson　asked　him　what　it　was。
　Scheransky's　dark　eyes　were　intense。　〃I　want　to　know　what　really　happened　to　you　out　in　the　desert；　after　our　Alaska　mission　last　year。　After　you　left　us　in　Alaska　to　chase　down　that　missile；　what　happened　to　you？　What's　the　big　secret　about　the　missing　five　days　of　your　trek　to　Century　City？　I　heard　that　the　only　one　you　told　is　Dr。　Schecter。〃
　Rockson　decided　to　tell　Scheransky。　He　was　a　technician；　a　scientist。　Perhaps　someone　other　than　Schecter　should　know。　Maybe　Scheransky　could　help　Schecter　in　his　project；　a　project　based　upon　what　had　happened　in　Rockson's　missing　five　days。　〃I　went　backward　in　time；　that's　what　happened。〃
　〃Backward　in　time？　Is　that　possible？〃
　〃I　didn't　believe　it　was　…　but　it　happened。　I　was　caught　in　a　twin…tornado　storm　…　one　of　the　Kala…Ka　storms　you've　probably　read　about。　I　was　tossed　through　some　sort　of　time　portal；　and　went　back　to　1989。　I'll　tell　you　sometime　what　happened　back　there。　The　important　thing　is　I　came　back　into　the　present。　Schecter　thinks　that　it　would　be　theoretically　possible　to　set　up　the　same　conditions　I　encountered　in　the　Kala…Ka　artificially　in　the　lab　and　send　me　…　or　someone　…　back　in　time　again。　It　would　be　very　dangerous。。。〃
　〃Then；　why　…〃
　〃Scheransky；　think　a　second。　What　could　you；　what　would　you　do　in　1989；　if　you　could？〃
　〃Back　in　1989？　Why；　that's　when　…〃
　〃Right…that's　when　World　War　Three　started。　If　someone　were　to　go　back　in　time　and；　say；　assassinate　Premier　Drushkin　…　the　man　who　launched　the　surprise　attack　on　America　…〃
　Scheransky　gasped。　〃Why；　then　the　war　would　never　…〃
　〃Right。　The　war　might　never　have　happened。　America　wouldn't　have　been　devastated。　There　wouldn't　have　been　the　death　of　billions　of　men；　women；　and　children；　the　radiation　clouds　wouldn't　have　swept　over　the　planet。〃
　The　Russian　sank　back　on　his　heels。　〃Da。　But　that　might　have　some　…　unpleasant　consequences。　It　would　change　everything。　Even　who　is　alive　in　the　twenty…first　century。　It　would　change　history　so　much。　There　would　never　be　a　Century　City；　for　instance。〃
　〃You　see　the　problem。　Very　good；　and　it's　a　big　if　…　Schecter　can　acplish　time　travel；　it　would　be　a　better　idea　to　change　things　just　slightly；　so　that　…　say　…　the　Reds'　occupation　of　America　after　the　war　was　not　very　successful。　Or　perhaps　go　back　and　take　out　just　the　Soviet　missiles　that　went　off　track　and　hit　our　nuclear　power　plants　…　and　sent　all　that　radiation　up　into　the　air。　Something　like　that　would　be　better　than　undoing　all　of　history。〃　Scheransky　whistled。　〃That　would　be　tremendous。〃　〃Of　course；　it's　only　theoretically　possible。　And　if　the　Russians　were　to　get　the　gist　of　what　I　just　told　you；　they　could　start　research　on　the　Kala…Ka　phenomenon　on　their　own　and　perhaps　also　achieve　time　travel。　That's　why　only　Schecter　…　and　now　you　…　know。〃
　〃Oh；　my　god。　This　must　not　get　to　the　Soviets。〃　〃Yes。。。　you　see　the　problem。　Now　you　understand　why　it's　top…top…secret。〃
　〃I　swear　by　my　mother's　grave。。。〃　〃I　know；　Scheransky；　I　know。　Now　I　told　you　because　I　think　with　your　technical　background；　with　what　you　know　about　Soviet　technology；　you　might　be　able　to　lend　Schecter　a　hand　with　the　project；　once　we　get　back。。。〃
　〃I　would　love　nothing　better；　my　friend。〃　〃Good。　I'll　see　to　it。　Now　that　I　let　the　cat　out　of　the　bag　with　you；　I　can't　see　Schecter　not　bringing　you　in　on　it。　It　would　take　some　of　the　enormous　burden　off　his　shoulders　to　have　an　assistant。〃
　〃You　honor　me；　my　friend。　And　I　am　so　happy　that　you　trust　me。。。〃
　Rockson　squeezed　his　shoulder。　〃I　trust　you　totally。　You're　a　part　of　the　team。　You're　one　of　us　now。〃
　
　
　CHAPTER　9
　
　They　made　good　time　trekking；　covering　a　hundred　winding　miles　through　rolling　terrain　each　day。　They　camped　in　snow　caves　or　rock　overhangs。　The　routine　set　in。　Up　at　dawn；　check　the　dogs；　feed　them　a　ration　portion　each　of　the　dwindling　dried　meat　supply；　get　some　breakfast　down　themselves；　then　drive　the　teams　across　the　deep　winter　snow。　Tea　and　pemmican　breaks　in　the　trek；　navigation　readings　and　paring　the　notebook　and　their　maps。　And　always；　always；　tugging　at　Rockson's　gut；　the　realization　that　they　could　be　hopelessly　off　course。
　Six　days　after　the　Hall　of　Presidents；　they　found　evidence　of　game。　Deer　tracks。
　They　braked　their　sleds；　drew　them　behind　some　winterberry　bushes；　as　a　wind　shield。
　Archer　was　the　first　to　volunteer。　〃Meeee　gooo　huntttt；〃　he　demanded。　He　drew　up　his　huge　make…shift　crossbow　and