rstacy.doomsdaywarrior-第7章

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　〃Rock；　I　think　she　likes　you。〃
　〃Yeah；〃　Rockson　said　ambivalently。　〃Are　the　males　bigger？〃　He　petted　the　thing's　head　again。　The　dog　responded　by　rubbing　up　against　his　leg；　a　move　that　almost　tumbled　him　over。　〃Man；　this　dog　has　some　strength。〃
　〃And　so　do　her　brothers　and　sisters。　Yes；　the　males　are　a　bit　bigger　but　less　intelligent。〃　Kathleen　winked　at　Rona；　and　Rona　laughed。
　Rona；　recovering；　said。　〃They're　certainly　strong　enough　to　pull　a　few　of　our　itty…bitty　sleds　to　Mexico。〃
　
　
　CHAPTER　5
　
　Rockson　reconvened　the　attack　team；　and　told　them　it　might　be　possible　after　all　to　use　sleds　and　these　strange　dogs。
　Danik　was　eager　to　go　right　away；　but　Rockson　told　him　that　several　days　at　a　minimum　would　be　needed　to　prepare。　〃Get　some　sleep；　take　a　whole　lot　of　vitamins；　build　yourself　up；　Danik。　We　can't　go　slow。　It　will　be　an　arduous　trip　…　assuming　we　find　the　notebook　and　it　helps　us　find　our　way　to　Eden。〃
　While　Danik　was　recuperating；　the　dogs　were　rounded　up；　and　training　them　on　a　crash　basis　was　begun。　The　extensive　experience　the　Rock　Team　had　gotten　handling　sled　dogs　in　the　Alaska　mission　proved　invaluable。
　To　speed　things　up；　Rockson　assigned　teams　to　handle　specific　tasks。　Detroit　and　McCaughlin　were　in　charge　of　production　of　the　super…lightweight　plastic　sleds；　handicrafting　the　nylon　lead　ropes；　and　selecting　some　skis。
　Rockson　and　Chen　rounded　up　maps　of　every　area　between　the　city　and　mid…Mexico。　Rockson　also　piled　a　set　of　history　tapes　and　slides　of　a　thousand　sites　south　of　Colorado。　This　was　for　Danik's　viewing。　He　sent　them　to　his　room。　But　Danik　sent　back　word　that　he　couldn't　remember　the　route　he'd　taken　north　except　by　the　strange　ruined　twentieth…century　tourist　attractions　he　had　already　told　them　about。
　Of　course　weapons　were　a　must；　Rockson　and　Chen　went　through　C。C's　extensive　armory；　selecting　the　lightest；　deadliest　of　the　lot。　Rock　picked　up　two　pound　bows　with　two…hundred…pound　pulls；　and　Chen　loaded　up　on　exploding　star…knives。　They　would　take　along　the　usual　standard　Freefighter　equipment　too　…　a　set　of　Liberator　9mm　rifles　and　x…pattern　shot…　pistols。
　They　needed　a　plete　roster　of　foodstuffs　and　sundry　supplies　from　the　quartermaster。　These　supplies　included　inertial　navigation　passes　with　illuminated　faces；　sextants；　pemmican　…　the　highly　condensed　high…calorie　food　for　trekking　in　cold　weather　…　McCaughlin's　special　biscuits　（just　add　snow　and　cook）；　salt；　tea　and　coffee；　egg　powder；　and　bacon。　Plus　some　jam；　a　few　loafs　of　pumpernickel　bread；　assorted　pots　and　pans。　They　would　also　bring　sleeping　bags。　Coleman　lamps；　a　Primus　stove　and　fuel　for　it　…　though　it　could　burn　animal　fat。　They　intended　to　hunt　on　the　way　south。　They'd　need　warm　blankets；　an　emergency　first…aid　kit；　and　a　dozen　other　items。　Century　City　was　a　storehouse　of　such　items　and　there　was　no　problem　assembling　the　roster。
　Rona　and　Archer　…　sort　of　beauty　and　the　beast　…　were　in　charge　of　actually　getting　the　dogs　trained　and　attached　to　the　sleds　in　time　for　a　test　run　through　the　town　square　in　three　days。　Everyone　moved　efficiently。
　Rockson；　four　days　after　they　had　a　destination；　proudly　announced　to　Security　Chief　Rath　that　they　were　ready　to　go。　Danik　was　up　and　around；　and　he　came　into　Path's　office　just　as　Rockson　was　reporting。
　〃If　all　goes　well；〃　Rock　said　to　the　strange　visitor；　〃we　will　get　you　to　Eden　…　despite　the　harsh　winter　conditions。〃
　〃Rockson；〃　Danik　said；　〃I　understand　you　are　going　to　use　sleds　pulled　by　ferocious　mutated　wolves。　Isn't　that　…　rather　unusual？　Why　not　use　snowmobiles？　I　understand　there　are　several　here　in　…〃
　〃Equipment　breaks　down；〃　Rockson　explained；　〃One　cog　busts　and　you　have　a　useless　hunk　of　metal。　Believe　me；　nothing　has　yet　replaced　the　reliability　of　dogs　for　long　hauls　over　snow。　These　particular　wolf…dogs　are　strong。　If　they　can　be　controlled；　and　I　think　they　can　be；　they　will　be　more　than　satisfactory　for　the　job。　They　can　eat　what　we　kill　for　them　on　the　way　also。　We　would　need　a　few　filling　stations　for　a　bunch　of　snowmobiles。〃
　〃I　see；〃　said　Danik。　〃Yes；　of　course。〃
　Rath　had　been　working　too。　He　had　contacted　a　small　Indian　settlement　in　Arizona　by　subspace　munication。　The　settlement；　Yumak　City；　would　have　some　horses；　he　said；　for　the　final　leg　of　the　journey　to　Eden；　if　they　couldn't　divert　to　that　place。　〃I　don't　suppose　you　hope　to　use　sleds　in　Mexico。　The　snow　is　very　light　down　there；　though　ifs　six　feet　deep　around　these　parts。〃
　〃I　was　counting　on　you　to　arrange　such　a　thing；〃　Rockson　said。　〃Schecter　told　me　you　were　working　on　it。　Who　do　I　see　down　there　in　Yumak？〃
　〃Ask　for　Chief　Smokestone。〃
　
　
　CHAPTER　6
　
　At　the　first　light　of　dawn；　the　eighth　day　after　Danik　had　wandered　into　Century　City's　domain；　they　were　ready。　The　Rock　Team　was　in　the　main　exit　tunnel　on　the　south　face　of　Carson　Mountain　about　to　set　out。　Under　the　greenish　lights　of　the　wide　concrete　waiting　area；　Rockson　inspected　the　team　of　six　ferocious　wolf…dogs　squirming　in　front　of　his　sled。　He　hoped　they　wouldn't　all　of　a　sudden　decide　they　wanted　human　meat　rather　than　some　of　the　dried　bear　meat　they　were　bringing　along　for　them。　He　turned　to　see　the　two　other　sleds　lined　up　behind　him。　The　howling　of　the　damned　half…wild　animals　they　were　depending　on　for　lootion　was　abominable。　He　hoped　the　giant　steel　door　would　track　open　soon。　The　echo　of　the　howling　was　unbearable。
　If　the　dogs　worked　out；　he　was　confident　they　could　go　a　thousand　miles。　They　had　all　the　weapons　and　equipment　he　had　wanted　…　and　more。
　There　was　always　certain　standard　equipment　on　any　trek　…　the　shotpistols；　the　power　batons；　the　Liberator　rifles。　But　each　Freefighter　had　his　own　set　of　special　weapons　of　his　own　choice。
　Rockson　carried　a　versatile　Balisong　knife　in　his　belt；　plus　an　exploding　baton。　He　also　had；　on　his　sled；　an　aluminum　power…bow　and　a　good…sized　quiver　of　killing　arrows。　It　was　a　bow　similar　to　Rona's　but　with　even　more　pull。　For　silencing　guards；　should　they　reach　Eden　and　take　on　such　opponents　as　would　be　there；　he　brought　along　a　set　of　Greek　garroting　chains。
　Archer　was　of　course　well　armed　…　he　even　slept　with　his　special　homemade　steel　crossbow　cradled　in　his　arms。　Rock　knew　he　carried　a　grab　bag　of　good　weapons　under　those　multiple　smelly　bearskins　he　wore。　The　bearded　mountain　man　had；　for　one　thing；　lengths　of　rope　and　steel　cable。　He　liked　to　bine　his　arrows　and　these　cords　for　grappling　purposes　…　or　just　to　lasso　some　unfortunate　enemy。　Over　his　shoulder　on　a　ratty　leather　strap；　he　wore　a　knapsack　full　of　ancient　musket　weapons　all　loaded　with　grape…shot　and　nails。
　Chen　of　course　carried　sixteen　explosive　and　forty　non…explosive　shuriken。　He　also　carried　a　yarawa　stick　…　for　jabbing　pressure　points　…　and　a　set　of　nunchaku。
　Detroit　Green　carried　twin　bandoliers　of　grenades　strapped　across　his　brawny　chest。　Also；　a　set　of　throwing　blades。　Plus　an　ancient　western　Colt　。45　Rock　had　given　him　on　his　birthday。
　McCaughlin　was　the　one　with　the　power…brass　knuckles。　It　added　to　the　force　of　his　fists；　the　explosive…bolt　knuckles　would　do　what　the　crushing　power　of　his　massive　shoulders　wouldn't　do　to　a　door　or　wall　or　person。　The　big　trail　cook　also　had　taken　to　carrying　a　boomerang　…　he　had　been　taught　its　use　by　a　friendly　Australian　rade　some　time　ago。
　Rona　carried　her　crossbow　of　aluminum　and　a　quiver　of　arrows。　Lighter　than　Archer's　heavy　homemade　weapon　of　steel　and　wood；　yet　deadly。　Rona　Wallender's　arrows　were　tipped　with　poisons。　Lots　of　different　poisons。　Plus　she　carried　her　〃lady's　weapon〃　…　a　tiny　derringer…type　pistol　with　。22　bullets　in　a　handle　clip。　Bullets　tipped　with　poison　too。
　Scheransky　carried　the　Russian　weapons　of　choice　…　the　bludgeon；　plus　a　Dragunov　sniper　rifle　and　the　laser…honed　short　sword　in　his　belt。
　Thus　armed；　the　Freefighters　could　take　on　platoons　of　Soviet　special　forces。　And　they　might　have　to；　Rockson　thought。　They　might　just　have　to　do　just　that。。。　For　America　was　crawling　with　the　Soviet　invaders。
　〃Too　bad　we　can't　take　along　a　tank；〃　McCaughlin　joked　as　the　loaded　sleds　and　their　earnest　drivers　waited　for　the　steel　doors　to　open　to　the　outside　wor