rstacy.doomsdaywarrior-第35章
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practice。〃
〃Of course;〃 Rockson agreed。 What else could he say? 〃Well; it's a very nice park。。。〃 Rockson glanced up … the homogenously green painted boughs above had no individual leaves; just a mottled texture created by paint brushes。 〃I see there's no troublesome leaves to rake up in the fall。〃
〃Leaves? Fall?〃
〃On the surface; parts of the trees … er … peel off at a certain time each year; and have to be raked up。〃
〃We don't have any such problems in Eden。〃 Onward they walked。 Rockson never had a chance to seize a weapon from the eternally watchful guards。
The king was tired; though the tour was less than a half…hour old。
They went back to the Government Building。 Stafford said; 〃Rockson。 I have decided not to kill you surface people。 You will be exhibited。 I fancy that I will create a zoo。 Danik will die; of course; and most painfully and publicly。 You and your pany of freaks will be well fed; with the best of the new food。〃
〃That is kind of you。〃
〃It is not kindness。 The one thing that Danik has said that seemed to be right is the fact that our genes have suffered somehow from being underground。 Sex is a dirty and primitive thing; but the race must go on。 The need for fresh genetic material is obvious; and you surface men … and that buxom surface woman … must have some potency I will let my scientists use you for experiments。 To our genetic problems; you surface beings present a possible solution both simple and practical。
〃I am not unfamiliar with the sciences。 Do you realize that a single fertile woman of the past … who was; I suppose; of the type similar to the redhead surface woman … could produce ten; twenty ova a month? If removed surgically; each ova could be implanted in our barren women and fertilized by inserting genetic material derived from you surface men。〃
It was all Rockson could do to contain himself。 Zoo exhibits; specimens for experiments; horrible operations on Rona … there wasn't much time to act。 He didn't relish being a farm for genes to keep propagating these mole people。 And Rockson gagged at the thought of Rona being a 〃donor;〃 confined to a hospital bed; constantly operated upon for removal of human egg cells。 He nodded; though; as if it were a good deal; to eat all that great shit…food; to be alive。
CHAPTER 25
The king excused himself to 〃tend to his toilet。〃 He ordered that Rockson be unbound and treated to some food and drink while he 〃freshened up〃。
This was more like it; Rock thought。 His easy acquiescence to the abominable ideas of this madman finally had paid off。 Rockson; unbound; rubbed his sorely aching wrists。 He didn't want to drink or eat anything offered to him; though he was powerfully hungry。 The thought of the way they were making food here in this underground madhouse stayed his hunger。
He sat for five minutes in the second chair in the audience room; but Stafford did not return。 Instead Mannerly; the butler in the tux; came in and said。 〃The king wishes you to e to his study; for further conversation in a more fortable environment。〃
The study; attached directly to the throne chamber; turned out to be an antiseptically bare room with puter disk cases lining the walls。 Only two guards were left there to watch Rockson; apparently on the king's order。
Rockson had been looking around everywhere he had been taken for a sign of the old steel safe that Danik believed would be the location of the dreaded Factor Q germ…warfare canister。 Rockson's intense eyes perused the study; its shelves of puter disk boxes; its plain metal cabinets and …
A bolt of adrenaline shot into his system; for in the er of the study was a safe。 An ancient type; with a bination lock。 Could it be … yes。
There was a warning painted on it。 Caution。 Do not approach safe。 Automatic countermeasures fatal to humans are activated unless verbal disarm code is given。
He smiled。 The Doomsday Warrior knew what to do now; and if he was right; the code would be no problem。 The king would supply it。
He calmed himself; readied his well…muscled frame to respond instantly when the moment was most conducive to success。 There might never be another chance like this。 His plan; the one Danik thought to be sheer madness; had carried him to this juncture … to a position that all the fighting in the world would not have acplished。 Here he sat in the recesses of the Government Building's inner private room; inches away from his goal。 Surrender as a way of attack。 Only Chen understood the concept。 Only Chen approved of this daring gamble。 And now; it was close to paying off。。。
Seconds counted。 Where was the king? Rockson was sure that if Bdos Err came upon him sitting with only two soldiers guarding; he would immediately increase security。 And the chance would slip away; forever。
He waited for what seemed like eons。
Finally; Stafford entered through the guarded portal and smiled。 He wore a new greenish tunic; and his thin hair was bed back。 He looked refreshed。
Rockson stood up and made to go over and shake his hand; or something; saying with a broad grin; 〃You have a fabulous…〃 Then the Doomsday Warrior; moving like a flash; grabbed Stafford's arm。 He wrenched it behind him; put him into a hammer…hold。 〃One move for your weapons and I snap the king's neck。〃 he snarled。
The hapless Civil Guards; momentarily confused; turned their guns upon Mannerly; the manservant; who had just entered holding a tray of hors d'oeuvres。 He fell with an agonized expression; his tux burned away to a depth of six inches; his midsec… tion cremated by the twin beams of the disintegrator pistols。
〃Drop the weapons;〃 Rock said; making to strangle the king。
〃Please; please drop the weapons。。。〃 said the helpless man Rock held in a mighty grip。
The soldiers' weapons clattered to the floor。 They were both staring at the smoking corpse of the butler with something like guilt on their stupid faces。
Rockson twisted Stafford's flaccid countenance half around; and demanded; 〃The code to deactivate the safe's destruct mode … and then the bination。 Quickly: tell me or die。〃
〃I…I don't know it … I …〃
〃He doesn't know it;〃 said a familiar voice from the portal。 Rock looked over to see Stafford … another Stafford … standing there with three more soldiers; and with Bdos towering behind him。 〃He doesn't know it because you are holding a double。 I am the real Stafford。 I never returned after I went to freshen up … instead my double was sent in。 I have seen too much treachery in my magnificent life to be fooled; to be suckered。〃
Rockson played it out … he might just be really holding the correct man。 Maybe the man in the doorway was the double。 〃I warn you; I will snap his neck if …〃 Bdos Err stepped forward; and; taking one of the disintegrators from a soldier; leveled it at the man who Rock held so tightly and shot him。 It was a narrow beam of energy; aimed accurately directly at the man's chest。 It burned a hole six inches deep。 The man gagged; and his eyes rolled up。 He slumped in Rockson's grip; and steaming blood and chunks of flesh…matter came bubbling out of his lips。 Rockson sighed mightily; and dropped the body。 〃Now;〃 snarled Bdos; 〃you know which is which。〃 〃I use a double on many occasions;〃 the real Stafford smirked out。 〃And there a dozen more where that one came from。 I don't like falsehood。 I don't woe false friends。 You will be treated to the same fate that the others will have。 And I have decided … there will be no delay in your deaths。 You are too dangerous。 Too damned dangerous and cunning。
〃I have decided that the surface is even more dangerous a place than I imagined。 I planned to send the probe up to the surface at some future date。 The probe with the Factor Q canister in it; set to burst when it reaches the surface。 Now I will accelerate the pletion of the probe shaft。 The release of Factor Q will take place as soon as possible; in a matter of hours。
〃I will eliminate the life…forms above … all humans and animals。 There will be no threat from above; and the few dissenters will cease their clamoring to be allowed to leave Eden。 There will be no habitable place on Earth except Eden。
Deep in the dungeon beneath the Government Building; a bloodied Rock