rstacy.doomsdaywarrior-第13章

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　Archer　was　the　first　to　volunteer。　〃Meeee　gooo　huntttt；〃　he　demanded。　He　drew　up　his　huge　make…shift　crossbow　and　a　four…foot　barbed　steel　arrow；　which　he　notched。　〃Ookayyy？〃
　Rockson　thought　a　bit；　then　said；　〃No；　old　fellow。　We　need　you　to　watch　over　the　teams。　The　dogs　love　you。　We　can't　handle　them　without　you　near。〃　Archer's　chest　swelled。　〃Meee　goooddd；〃　he　stated；　and　he　pounded　on　his　chest　so　loud　it　sounded　like　a　bass　drum。
　〃Thanks；　pal；　I　knew　I　could　count　on　you。〃　Rockson　considered　their　ad　hoc　camp　a　good　one。　Behind　winterberry　brambles；　a　natural　shield　of　thorns。
　〃Rona　and　I　will　use　some　arrows　and　get　the　venison；〃　he　promised。
　Rockson　took　up　his　pound　bow　…　a　plastic　and　steel　marvel　of　engineering　with　a　hundred…ninety…pound　pull。　〃Ready；　Rona？〃　She　had　her　bow　on　her　shoulder。　〃Sure；　lead　on。〃
　Rock　wanted　Rona　as　backup。　Rock　had　to　admit　she　was　equal　to　him　in　skill　if　not　in　sheer　power　of　draw。　He　couldn't　afford　to　miss。　And　firearms　were　out。　No　sense　alerting　any　chance　Soviet　patrol。
　Three　hours　of　trekking　and　the　couple　was　in　sight　of　the　eight…point　buck　and　his　doe。　The　problem　was　getting　downwind　from　the　gentle　creatures　nuzzling　on　the　evergreen　branches。
　It　took　another　hour　for　Rockson　and　Rona　to　get　in　position　in　the　boulderfield　directly　north　of　the　pair　of　deer。　Rockson　carefully　notched　his　arrow　and　let　fly　the　shot　at　the　buck；　but　the　stag　had　suddenly　started。
　There　was　a　movement　in　the　narga　grass　…　and　one　of　Post…nuke　America's　plethora　of　wildswine　appeared。　The　supersensitive　snout　of　the　beast　stuck　high　into　the　air。　The　four…tusked　three…hundred…pound　beast　snorted。　It　had　caught　the　scent　of　the　two　Freefighters。
　82
　〃Damn；〃　said　Rona　as　the　alerted　deer　darted　away；　jumping　into　the　copse　of　trees。　〃There　goes　our　venison　steaks。〃
　〃How　about　some　pork　chops；〃　Rockson　said　angrily；　swiveling　his　bow　and　letting　loose　a　good　shot　at　the　spoiler　of　their　hunt。
　But　the　wildswine　had　suddenly　darted　sideward　with　a　sharp　squeal。　The　super…swift　porker；　a　dangerous　crossbreed　of　wild　Asian　swine　and　the　domestic　hog　of　the　twentieth　century；　also　avoided　the　frying　pan。
　〃Shit；〃　Rock　said；　reaching　into　his　quiver　and　taking　out　another　steel…tipped　arrow。　He　notched　it　and　said；　〃The　pig　is　over　in　that　jumble　of　rocks　…　let's　get　it。　Rona；　you　go　around　the　other　way。　We'll　have　pork　tonight；　or　my　name　isn't　Ted　Rockson。〃
　But　as　the　couple　gradually；　silently　moved　to　encircle　the　wildswine；　there　was　a　sudden　shaking　of　the　ground。　Rock　swiveled　on　his　heels　to　see　a　giant　version　of　the　swine　he　was　stalking　tear　through　a　copse　of　trees　the　size　of　telephone　poles；　knocking　them　down　like　toothpicks。　The　thing　was　a　pig　…　but　it　stood　twelve　or　thirteen　feet　at　its　shoulders　and　was　at　least　twice　that　length。　It　stopped　in　its　tracks；　snorted　a　twin　stream　of　hot　steam　out　of　its　flaring　nostrils。　And　then　it　turned　its　ugly　snout　directly　in　the　direction　of　Rockson　and　roared　out　a　challenge。
　Rona　and　Rock　let　fly　their　arrows；　each　hitting　one　of　the　beast's　huge　eyes。　But　the　arrows　just　bounced。　〃Rona　…　head　for　cover　in　the　rocks；　I'll　lead　it　away。〃　With　that　admonition；　the　twenty…first…century　warrior　took　off　at　a　lope。　The　giant　swine　started　pawing　the　ground；　it　lowered　its　head　like　a　bull。　Then　it　took　off　after　him；　like　a　freight　train　chasing　a　stray　cat。
　〃Rock；〃　Rona　yelled；　〃be　careful。〃
　Rockson　was　being　careful。　He　had　made　for　a　second　outcropping　of　sharper；　tumbled　rocks；　and　now　dove　in　among　the　boulders；　rolled　into　a　crevice。　He　removed　his　shotpistol　from　his　holster　and　took　the　safety　off。　Just　in　time。　The　giant　swine　screeched　to　a　stop　and　leaned　its　steamy　snout　down　into　Rock's　hiding　place。　Its　huge　tongue　licked　down　at　the　Doomsday　Warrior。　Naturally；　he　fired。　Point…blank。
　The　lower　incisors　and　molars　of　the　beast　exploded　into　chalky　fragments　tinged　with　red；　and　the　X…pattern　of　explosive　pellets　peppered　the　sinewy　red　throat　beyond。　But　the　thing　didn't　die。　It　pulled　back；　startled　by　the　blast。　Then　it　charged　against　the　rocks；　almost　burying　Rockson　in　a　shifting　mass　of　granite。　He　managed　to　extricate　himself　and；　not　anxious　to　be　buried　in　the　next　attack；　he　took　off　again。　Rockson　was　firing　over　his　shoulder　when　the　opportunity　presented　itself。　Two　of　his　frantic　shots　hit　dead　center　in　the　snout　of　the　beast；　sending　out　sprays　of　nostril　meat　and　blood；　but　it　just　sneezed　and　then　continued　the　chase。
　The　shotpistol　empty。　Rock　flung　it　back；　the　beast　swallowed　it　without　changing　pace。　Rockson　spotted　Rona　a　hundred　feet　ahead；　running　fast；　but　not　as　fast　as　Rockson；　and　he　soon　caught　up　to　her。　〃Pour　it　on；　girl；〃　he　gasped　out；　〃I　couldn't　stop　it。〃
　〃Rock；　how　about　my　smoke　bombs？〃
　〃Smokebombs？　Hell；　use　them；　Rona；　quickly。〃
　Rona　was　already　reaching　into　her　belt　pouch。　She　tossed　a　handful　of　the　small　glass　cylinders　behind　her。　The　pop…pop…pop　of　the　shattering　glass　was　music　to　Rockson's　ears。　The　thundering　hoofs　of　their　immense　pursuer　stopped。　There　was　a　great　cloud　of　putrid…smelling　black　smoke　behind　the　two　runners　now。　An　enormous　sneeze　reverberated　in　the　cold　air。　Imagine　what　that　stuff　smells　like　to　its　sensitive　nostrils。　Rock　thought。　That　ought　to　stop　him　for　a　while。
　But　a　while　was　a　mere　five　or　six　seconds。　Enough　for　the　Freefighters　to　gain　a　hundred　feet；　but　then　the　terrible　thundering　hoofs　started　ing　again。
　Rockson　could　see　the　tangle　of　brambles　that　he　hoped　was　the　encampment　wall　ahead。　He　yelled；　〃Freefighters；　set　the　Liberator　rifles　on　full　automatic；　we've　got　supper　ing　up　behind　us　…　don't　spare　the　gunpowder。〃
　Rockson's　rear　end　was　now　less　than　twenty　feet　ahead　of　the　razor…sharp　tusks。
　
　
　CHAPTER　10
　
　〃Did　you　hear　that？〃　McCaughlin　said；　snapping　up　from　where　he　crouched　feeding　another　stick　into　the　low　campfire。　〃Look；　over　there！〃
　Detroit　saw　where　he　was　pointing；　and　heard　more　clearly　what　Rockson　was　yelling。　〃Quick；〃　Detroit　exclaimed；　〃Aim　high；　don't　hit　our　friends。　Shoot！〃　Frantically　they　lifted　their　rifles。　Chen；　wanting　accuracy；　set　down　his　tripod　mount　for　steadiness　atop　the　small　rise；　they　all　fired　on　full　auto　at　the　beast。
　The　big　guns　spoke　a　thousand　throaty　words。　The　simple　statement　could　not　be　ignored。　It　said；　〃Death　to　big　pigs。〃
　A　shuddering　series　of　impacts　on　the　pig　knocked　it　to　the　ground。　Splattered　pieces　of　smoking　meat　and　shards　of　bone　matter　flew　over　Rock　and　Rona　as　they　dove　over　the　brambles　to　their　friends。　All　the　Freefighters'　uniforms　were　coated　with　a　rain　of　red　blood。　A　pulsing　bit　of　pig　brain…matter　splashed　into　Scheransky's　hands　as　he　tried　to　cover　his　face。　Rockson；　too；　was　thoroughly　reddened　by　the　rain　of　blood。　They　kept　firing　for　a　while　…　just　in　case！
　Rona　jumped　across　the　hollow；　and　grabbed　the　Doomsday　Warrior　into　her　arms。　〃Oh；　you　great　big　hunk　of　a　man；〃　she　said；　kissing　his　red…stained　face　over　and　over　…　everywhere。　〃You　saved　me。　You　lured　the　thing　to　you；　you　did　it　to　save　me。〃
　When　she　finally　let　go；　Rockson　smiled；　〃Not　exactly。　I　wanted　pork　chops　for　supper；　that's　all。〃
　Before　the　roaring　cooking　fire　had　died　to　red　coals　in　the　early　darkness；　the　smell　of　roast　pork　spread　through　the　valley。　The　fattiest　meat　was　given　to　the　ravenous　wolf…dogs；　who　had　endured　so　much　and　gotten　them　over　eight　hundred　miles　already。　The　Rock　Team　went　to　their　sleeping　bags　with　a　warm　glow　in　their　bellies　…　especially　after　the　Scot　passed　around　his　Glenlivet。　〃It's　a　hundred　and　six　years　old；　laddies；　so　don't　ye　spill　a　drop。〃
　〃Now；　that's　old　scotch。〃　Detroit　said；　swigging　down　a　large　portion。　Danik　had　a　restorative　slug　too。
　〃Save　some　for　the　Russkies；〃　said　Scheransky；　taking　the　bottle。　〃I　prefer　vodka；　but　defectors　can't　be　choosers。　I'll　make　do。〃　He　too　took　a　swig。　And　so　did　the　rest　of　them。　Rona　finished　it　off　in　two　glugs；　and　wiped　her　mouth；　tossed　the　bottle　into　the　brush。
　〃Now；　that's　a　woman　you　got　there。　Rock；〃　said　McCaughlin。
　The　next　day's　trek　was　an　uneventful　passage　over　gently　rolling　snow　under　pin