rstacy.doomsdaywarrior-第14章

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　〃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　pink　cirrus　clouds。　Rockson；　stopping　the　group　at　midafternoon；　used　the　navigation　devices　that　Schecter　had　provided；　and　also　used　the　toy　sextant　that　Dutil　had　figured　angles　and　distance　with。　He　announced　that　they　were　well　out　on　the　rolling　plains　of　Arizona。　Some　divine　power　must；　they　reasoned；　be　favoring　their　quest。
　The　citizen　of　Eden　had　been　extraordinarily　quiet。
　He　was　sitting　up　on　Rock's　sled；　watching　the　scenery　go　by。　Rock；　hoping　he　wasn't　getting　sick　again；　spoke　to　him。　〃You　all　right；　Danik？〃
　〃Wonderful。　It's　so　beautiful；　that's　why　I'm　quiet。　This　land　is　so　beautiful。　What　is　there　to　say　in　the　face　of　such　beauty？〃
　〃I　guess　we　Americans　take　for　granted　the　majesty　of　the　countryside；　Danik。　It's　a　good　thing　someone　es　along　once　in　a　while　to　tell　us　what　we　have。　So　we　notice　it　more。　So　we　appreciate　it。　You　know　it　was　all　almost　pletely　destroyed　a　hundred　and　five　years　ago　…　when　the　two　superpowers　fired　their　ICBMs　at　one　another。　The　ignorant　bastards　almost　destroyed　it　all。〃
　〃Stafford　plans　to　finish　their　evil　handiwork　…　make　this　beautiful　world　a　no…man's　land；〃　Danik　said　sadly。　〃I　hope　we　can　stop　him。　God；　I　pray　that　we　can　stop　him。〃
　After　nearly　one　hundred　miles　more；　all　against　a　fierce　icy　wind；　the　party　of　bold　adventurers　were　beginning　to　doubt　the　directions　given　by　the　note…book。　They　should　have　reached　the　next　landmark　…　the　tall　teepee…shaped　building。　Still；　there　was　nothing　to　do　but　go　on。
　They　were　ten　miles　further　along　than　the　note…book　indicated；　and　all　were　depressed　and　feeling　hopeless；　when　Danik　himself　shouted　the　good　news：　〃There　it　is；　the　whale　rock。　We　are　on　the　right　track。〃
　〃Thank　God　Run　Dutil's　notes　were　accurate　at　least　to　the　direction；　if　not　to　the　distance；〃　Rock　uttered　with　relief。
　Recalculating　their　path　taking　into　account　the　navigational　error　of　two　degrees　and　ten　miles；　Rockson　headed　the　bone…weary　squad　off　again　to　the　south。　And　after　two　more　hard　hours　fighting　winds　and　driven　snow；　they　came　upon　a　crumbling　highway　town。　There　in　the　middle　of　the　rust　spots　in　the　snow　that　had　been　Buicks　and　Toyotas　and　Oldsmobiles　over　a　hundred　years　ago；　was　the　giant　teepee。　It　had　the　look　of　a　new　building。　〃We　buried　two　panions　behind　it；〃　Danik　said　softly。
　〃It　must　be　some　sort　of　plastic；〃　Rockson　said。　〃Plastic　lasts　longer　than　concrete。　Keep　the　dogs　back；　Detroit；　e　with　me；　I　want　to　make　sure　no　one　is　in　there。　It　looks　so　spiffy；　I　don't　trust　it。〃
　The　team　members　held　their　sleds　back　behind　some　tumbled　boulders；　and　Rock　and　the　bull…necked　black　Freefighter　walked　cautiously　forward；　guns　drawn；　inspecting　the　many　windows　in　the　five…story　bright…orange…and…yellow　〃teepee〃　for　any　movements。　〃Keep　an　eye　on　that　mesa　behind　the　building；〃　Rockson　said。　〃There's　a　thousand　places　a　man　with　a　rifle　could　hole　up　in　those　rocks。〃　Detroit　nodded。
　The　sign　over　the　door；　a　ten…foot…high　red　plastic　affair；　said　TOMAHAWK　INDIAN　STORE；　save　now；　50％　off　Indian　Jewelry。〃
　〃Good；　we're　in　time　for　the　sale；〃　Detroit　whisperingly　joked。
　Rockson　and　Detroit　cautiously　entered　the　giant　replica　of　an　Indian　dwelling。　Light　sifted　in　from　outside　through　high　windows。　Tumbled　chairs；　smashed　tables；　precious　items　of　beaten　silver　and　turquoise　…　necklaces；　rings；　bracelets　…　lay　unmolested　in　glass　cases。　But　other　glass　counters　by　the　rusty　cash　register　were　smashed。　〃They　kept　candy　by　the　register；〃　Rock　said；　bolstering　his　shotpistol。　〃In　the　weeks　after　the　nuke　war；　any　kind　of　food　was　precious　…　much　more　precious　than　jewelry。〃　A　quick　survey　found　the　place　uninhabited。
　It　was　a　good　place　to　stay　for　the　night；　for　there　was　an　old　Franklin　stove　actually　still　in　one　piece。　They　gathered　firewood　…　smashing　the　dried　wooden　counters　of　the　soda　fountain　for　fuel。　Soon　the　immense　teepee　had　blue…white　smoke　ing　out　its　top；　and　the　Freefighters　and　the　man　from　Mexico　were　sitting　around　eating　their　pemmican　and　pork　stew。　McCaughlin；　the　official　morale　builder；　began　playing　his　harmonica。　They　sang　a　few　choruses　of　〃Jimmy　Crack　Corn；〃　and　a　few　patriotic　songs　like　〃America　the　Beautiful。〃　That　brought　tears　to　Danik's　eyes。　Then　they　all　bedded　down　and　fell　into　a　well…deserved　warm　and　cozy　sleep。
　Scheransky　carefully　slipped　from　his　sleeping　bag　in　the　dead　of　night　and　nearly　soundlessly　stole　away　from　the　pany　of　exhausted　Freefighters。　Before　he　moved　off　into　the　crescent…moon…lit　darkness　outside　the　odd　building；　the　Russian　reached　into　a　pack　on　his　sled　and　took　out　the　small　black…box　device。　It　fit　right　into　the　palm　of　his　hand。　Sure　that　no　one　had　noticed　his　awakening；　he　slipped　away　into　the　snowy　darkness。
　But　someone　had　noticed；　Chen。　Though　as　tired　as　the　others。　Chen's　martial　arts　training　allowed　him　to　sleep　lightly　when　on　a　mission；　and　to　unconsciously　note　any　unusual　noise。　He　opened　his　brown…amber　eyes　and　without　the　slightest　movement　of　his　head　or　body　tracked　the　silent　Russian　defector。　Then；　as　stealthily　as　the　Russian　had　moved；　Chen　rose　and　followed。　At　the　doorway　he　saw　Scheransky　go　behind　some　boulders。
　What　was　the　Russian　up　to？　Chen　couldn't　believe　he　was　up　to　something　bad。　Maybe　it　was　just　a　call　of　nature　that　drove　Scheransky　over　the　ridge？　What　if　it　wasn't？　Chen　had　bought　the　Russian's　story　of　believing　in　the　American　cause。　Chen　had　believed　…　up　until　this　point　…　that　Scheransky　was　a　true　and　loyal　American　Freefighter　now。　He　certainly　had　honored　himself　in　the　Alaska　mission；　and　Rockson　trusted　Scheransky　implicitly。
　But　then　where　the　hell　was　he　going？　As　Chen　stalked　him　over　the　ridge　of　boulders；　he　saw　Scheransky　now　running　in　the　distance。　The　man　was　certainly　not　just　taking　a　piss。　No；　he　was　up　to　something。
　Chen　shot　from　boulder　to　boulder。　The　Russian　never　looked　back　to　see　if　he　was　being　followed。　He　stopped　suddenly　and　put　a　device　in　his　hand　down　and　pulled　out　an　antenna。　He　started　pushing　on　it　…　buttons　perhaps。
　A　transmitter　of　some　kind；　Chen　concluded。　The　Soviet　defector　must　not　be　a　defector　at　all　…　he　must　be　giving　away　their　position。　He　should　throw　a　star…dart　…　kill　the　man　he　had　e　to　trust　as　a　friend　over　the　past　months　…　No！　He　hesitated。
　Chen　put　the　shuriken　back　into　his　belt　pouch。　He　instead　ran　like　lightning；　silently　as　a　deer；　at　the　Russian　kneeling　there　in　the　snow。　Chen　jumped　him　just　as　he　was　turning；　having　heard　the　faint　crunch　of　snow。
　Wham；　Chen　was　upon　him。　The　Russian　fought　like　a　madman　but　Chen　had　him　tied　up　in　knots　with　a　reverse　hammerhold　and　his　face　half　buried　in　the　snow；　his　arms　twisted　violently　behind　him。　Scheransky；　for　the　first　time　seeing　his　silent　attacker；　exclaimed；　〃Chen；　it's　you！〃
　〃Yes；　you　bastard。　It's　me。　What　are　you　doing？〃　〃Ease　up；　Chen；　you're　hurting　me。〃　〃Not　until　you　tell　me　what　you're　doing！〃　Chen　saw　now　that　the　device　had　a　number　of　small　blinking　red　lights　on　it。　The　antenna　waved　in　the　arctic…like　wind。　Scheransky　tried　again　to　struggle　out　of　Chen's　grip；　but　to　no　avail。　〃Talk；　you　traitor　…　or　I'll　break　your　arm。〃　Scheransky　spat　out　snow　and　said；　〃All　right；　all　right。　It's　an　…　experiment　…　for　…　for　Dr。　Schecter。〃　〃Oh　yeah？　Then；　how　e　we're　not　in　on　it？〃　Chen　tightened　his　twist　of　the　Russian's　arm。　〃Ow；　let　go；　let　go。〃
　〃Let　him　go；　Chen；〃　said　a　voice　from　behind。　Chen　turned　to　see　Rockson's　cleated　boots　near　his　face。　And　Rona　and　Archer　too　were　ing　up　behind　him。　〃Caught　him　with　this　device；〃　Chen　said；　pushing　Scheransky's　device　across　the　snow　with　his　foot。　〃Take　a　look。〃　He　let　the　Russian　sit　up。　Scheransky　started　rubbing　his　shoulder。　He　leaned　over　to　retrieve　his　black…box　device。
　〃Stay　away　from　that　device；〃　Rock　said；　unholstering　his　pistol。
　〃Don't　worry；　I　will；〃　said　Scheransky；　withdrawing　his　hand。
　〃Now；　what's　this　about？〃
　Scheransky　sighed。　〃You're　not　supposed　to　know。〃
　〃Tell　me　anyway。〃
　〃I　never　trusted　him；〃　Chen　offered。