rstacy.doomsdaywarrior-第15章
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Scheransky sighed。 〃You're not supposed to know。〃
〃Tell me anyway。〃
〃I never trusted him；〃 Chen offered。 〃A Red is a Red。〃
〃Tell me；〃 Rockson said again； cocking his shot… pistol。
〃Oh shit； Rock；〃 Scheransky said； 〃its an experiment for Dr。 Schecter。 He wants … wants to m…measure the atmospheric changes that have brought on this terrible winter … the worst since the war。〃
Rockson went over and crouched next to the device。 He saw after careful inspection that it was not a transmitter。 Still it was an electronic device。 And Rockson had specifically forbidden the bringing along of any electronic devices because the Russians had a way of homing in on them。
〃Do you believe me？ Here … here。〃 said the Russian； taking out a crumpled note。 〃Here is the letter from Dr。 Schecter explaining … in case I was seen using the device。。。〃
Rockson read：
To Ted Rockson； This is to advise you that I have overridden your objection to any electronic devices being brought along on your mission。 I have done this with the full support of Rath and the council。 Scheransky was told by the council that he had to obey。 The data being collected is of vital importance。 Sorry for the subterfuge。
Dr。 Schecter。
He passed the note around。 Chen sighed exasperatedly； pulled Scheransky up from the snow； and said； 〃Do you realize I was about to blow you to kingdom e with an explosive star…dart when I saw you take out the device？〃
Scheransky； brushing the snow from his parka； said； 〃I'm glad you didn't。〃
Rockson said； 〃Well； collect the damned information and let's get back to some shuteye。〃
〃Yes； can a person get an uninterrupted night of sleep around here？〃 demanded Rona。 〃You guys are worse than the gobble…gophers for losing a girl her beauty sleep。〃
Rockson； putting his arm over Scheransky's shoulder as they crunched back to camp in the snow； said he would think over whether or not Scheransky could continue with the data collection。
In the morning； over coffee and dried pemmican； Rockson said； 〃Scheransky； go ahead。 Keep collecting Schecter's damned data。 By the way … why did you go so far from camp to do it？〃
〃If … if the electronic pulses were picked up by an enemy patrol … I wanted to be the only one who was caught。。。〃 He looked down at his coffee。 Chen went over and said； 〃And to think I distrusted you。〃
〃Okay；〃 said Rock； breaking the guilt…ridden mood。 〃If anyone else has any wild surprises I'd appreciate hearing about it now … otherwise； let's pack up and get on our way。〃
The notebook gave the direction to the mysterious elegant bridge as southeast； two hundred twelve miles away。 Rock spent hours of the smooth； level run wondering what the hell a giant stone bridge could be doing out here； going no place； on a shallow lake。 He couldn't wait to solve the mystery。
After hours of speeding along … it was practically a race … came some rougher going。 A twisting； narrow canyon。
Rockson ordered that the sled teams be driven in one at a time； spaced about a hundred yards apart。 There were many feet of snow piled at the tops of those precipitous cliffs on both sides； the slightest noise could bring an avalanche。 Yet there was no break in the cliffs save this canyon as far as their electron binocs could scan。 They'd have to chance it。
Rock； Chen； and Archer would drive the sleds through。 Archer first； hopefully settling the dogs down； informing them in his subtle ways that they must not howl or bark or make any noises。 Then the remaining four Freefighters would ski through。 The danger wouldn't be as great for them。
It was as good a plan as he could devise。
Rock watched as Archer made the first entry into the narrow orifice； he and the sled disappearing in the shadowed turns of the canyon。 He sighed； and whispered a 〃Mush。〃 His own team took off after their big mountain man…buddy。 Rockson winced each time he heard a creak of a sled or a half…whine from the dogs； who sensed； he was sure； the danger。
In the dark narrow canyon； he found a profound closeness to death … and to the Creator。 He never caught sight of Archer's sled until he exited the canyon。
Rock breathed a sigh of relief to plunge into bright sunlight： another day of life。 Both the Doomsday Warrior and Archer watched the canyon exit anxious for the safety of Chen。
Chen took a long time to appear； but finally they saw his lead dogs huffing and puffing their way to safety。 Chen waved。
Next came the skiiers； also paced a hundred yards apart。 Detroit； then McCaughlin； Scheransky。。。 But where was Rona？ Anxious minutes went by。 Rona didn't appear。 A cloud went across the sun； Rockson detected a wind ing up。 He said； 〃I'm going back in after her。。。〃 He was about to set off when she appeared waving； shouting； 〃Hey； here I am。 Sorry I'm late； but there was this great snowflower； I picked。。。〃 She waved a purple blossom over her head。
There were stirrings in the canyon as her echo coursed through it。 Then a tremendous whumpp。 She skiied up to them as a giant billowing white cloud exited the canyon。
Close。
Danik； when they reached the next rise； informed them； 〃See that blue mesa ahead； wreathed in clouds？ I remember that one。 Ten or so miles beyond it lies the bridge。〃
After traversing the distance to the mesa； cutting around its towering granite； they were immersed in a wet fog。 Slowly they advanced their teams until Danik shouted； 〃There it is。〃
A parting in the fog bank revealed； straddled over a calm lake； amidst some low buildings and many bare trees； a bridge。
〃My God； that's London Bridge；〃 Rock exclaimed。
Detroit said incredulously； 〃London Bridge？ How can that be？ Wasn't it in London when they nuked the place？〃
Rockson and the Freefighters couldn't believe their eyes … a long； elegant many…arched stone bridge crossed the gentle waters of a desert lake。 And it looked exactly like London Bridge； as they had seen many times in history books。
Rockson smacked his forehead and said； 〃I remember reading that some millionaire bought the whole bridge； and shipped it over to Arizona … that was when the Brits needed money badly。 A few decades before World War Three。 No one in Century City knows where the bridge was sent and reconstructed。 Until now。 Here it is。〃
〃Why take London Bridge to Arizona？ Did they need a bridge that bad？〃
〃I think I remember reading that some entrepreneur type thought it would be a good tourist attraction。〃
〃And so the mystery of the bridge to nowhere is solved。〃 Danik said。 〃My panions … the two that died here … are entombed behind one of the big rocks in the bridge foundation。 The mortar was cracked and weak。 I and my surviving friends thought it would be a good grave。〃
Rockson and the others whipped their dogs up to traverse the distance to the spot Danik indicated。 There were still signs of the massive bridge foundation rock； at the edge of the water； having been removed and replaced。
〃A good place；〃 Detroit said。 〃We will not disturb them。〃
Rockson and the team came upon a fallen； rust…pocked sign； lifted it。 It said。 〃Wele to London Bridge； Havasu City Arizona。〃
〃You're right。 Rock；〃 Rona said； 〃You sure are a history buff。〃
Rockson frowned。 〃We have only one problem now … which way from here to Eden？〃
Danik said； 〃Doesn't the notebook show？〃
〃I didn't want to tell anybody this … but；〃 Rockson admitted； 〃the notebook didn't start until Dutil started writing it after he saw this bridge。 He found the toy sextant here in a … let's see 。 。 。〃 Rockson flipped through the pages。 〃Here it is； he found the sextant in 'Ye olde nautical gift shoppe。' There； right next to the bridge。〃
〃Then；〃 Rona said despondently； 〃we have no way of finding Eden。〃
〃Yes； we do；〃 Danik shouted exultantly。 〃Returning here； seeing the tomb of my friends did something … I can remember … not a lot； but something。〃
〃What？〃 Rock asked； with great emotion。
〃I remember that the first week we traveled； the week that brought us this far； cold and hungry and with two of us deathly sick； was all spent traveling directly north。。。〃
〃Following the North Star；〃 Rock said； remembering Danik's tale。 〃Yes； I followed the North Star on the clear nights。 We found shelter and slept in the slight
