p&c.thunderhead-第69章
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Nora sighed deeply。 〃I want to talk to Peter about this。 Where is he now？〃
〃I don't know；〃 Sloane said。 〃He went down the ladder from the summit before I did。 I figured he'd gone back to his tent to lie down。 He was pretty upset and 。 。 。 well； frankly； he wasn't making much sense。 He was sobbing。 I guess that equipment really meant a lot to him。〃
Nora stood up and walked to the rope ladder。 〃Bill！〃 she shouted down into the valley。
〃Ma'am？〃 the writer's voice floated up。
〃Check the tents。 See if you can find Holroyd。〃
She waited； scanning the tops of the canyon walls。 〃Nobody home；〃 Smithback called up a few minutes later。
Nora returned to the retaining wall； shivering now。 She realized she was still wet from the trip through the canyon。 〃Then he must be in the ruin somewhere；〃 she said。
〃That's possible；〃 Sloane replied。 〃He said something yesterday about calibrating the magnetometer。 Guess we lost track of him in all the confusion。〃
〃What about the horse killers？〃 Black interrupted。
Nora hesitated a moment。 She decided there was no point in alarming everybody with Beiyoodzin and his story of witches。 〃There was only one set of prints on the ridge； and they led to the camp of an old Indian。 He clearly wasn't the killer。 Since our equipment was smashed last night； that probably means the horse killers are still around here somewhere。〃
Black licked his lips。 〃That's great；〃 he said。 〃Now we're going to have to post a guard。〃
Nora looked at her watch。 〃Let's find Peter。 We're going to need his help setting up some kind of emergency transmitter。〃
〃I'll check the roomblock where he stashed the magnetometer。〃 Sloane walked away； Black following in her wake。 Bonarotti came over to Nora and drew out a cigarette。 Nora opened her mouth to remind him that smoking wasn't allowed in the ruin； but decided she couldn't summon up the energy。
There was a scuffling noise； then Smithback's shaggy head appeared at the top of the rope ladder。 〃What's up？〃 he said； ing over to the retaining wall。
〃Somebody snuck into the valley last night；〃 Nora replied。 〃Our munications gear was smashed。〃 She was interrupted by an urgent shout from within the city。 Sloane had emerged from one of the roomblocks on the far side of the plaza； waving an arm。
〃It's Peter！〃 her voice echoed across the ghostly city。 〃Something's wrong！ He's sick！〃
Immediately Nora was on her feet。 〃Find Aragon；〃 she said to Bonarotti。 〃Have him bring his emergency medical kit。〃 Then she was running across the plaza； Smithback at her side。
They ducked inside a second…story roomblock plex near the site of the burial cyst。 As Nora's eyes grew accustomed to the dim light； she could see Sloane on her knees beside Holroyd's prone form。 Black was standing well back； a look of horror on his face。 Beside Holroyd lay the magnetometer； its case open； ponents scattered across the floor。
Nora gasped and knelt down。 Holroyd's mouth was wide open； his jaw locked solid。 His tongue； black and swollen； protruded from puffy； glaucous lips。 His eyes were bulging； and a foul graveyard stench washed up from each shallow breath。 A slight； thready gasp escaped his lungs。
There was movement in the doorway； then Aragon was beside her。 〃Hold my light； please；〃 he said calmly； laying two canvas duffels on the floor； opening one of them； and removing a light。 〃Dr。 Goddard； could you please bring the fluorescent lantern？ And the rest of you； please step outside。〃
Nora trained the light on Holroyd； his eyes glassy； pupils narrowed to pinpoints。 〃Peter； Enrique's here to help you；〃 she murmured； taking his hand in hers。 〃Everything's going to be fine。〃
Aragon pressed his hands beneath Holroyd's jaw； probed his chest and abdomen； then pulled a stethoscope and blood pressure cuff from the duffel and began to check his vital signs。 As the doctor opened Holroyd's shirt and pressed the stethoscope to his chest； Nora saw to her horror a scattering of dark lesions across the pale skin。
〃What is it？〃 Nora said。
Aragon just shook his head and shouted for Black。 〃I want the rest of you to get a tarp； ropes； poles； anything we can use for a stretcher…and tell Bonarotti to get some water boiling。〃
Aragon peered intently back into Holroyd's face； then examined the man's fingertips。 〃He's cyanotic；〃 he murmured； fishing in one of the duffels and pulling out a slender oxygen tank and a pair of nasal cannula。 〃I'll set the flow at two liters；〃 he said； handing the tank to Nora and fixing the cannula into Holroyd's nostrils。
There was the sound of feet； then Sloane returned with the lantern。 Suddenly； the room was bathed in chill greenish light。 Aragon pulled the stethoscope from his ears and looked up。
〃We've got to get him down into camp；〃 he said。 〃This man needs to go to a hospital immediately。〃
Sloane shook her head。 〃The munications gear is pletely trashed。 The only thing still functioning is the weather receiver。〃
〃Can we cobble something together？〃 Nora asked。
〃Only Peter could answer that question；〃 Sloane replied。
〃What about the cell phone？〃 Aragon asked。 〃How far to the nearest area of coverage？〃
〃Up around Escalante；〃 said Sloane。 〃Or back at Wahweap Marina。〃
〃Then get Swire on a horse； give him the phone； and tell him to get going。 Tell him to call for a helicopter。〃
There was silence。 〃There's no place to land a helicopter；〃 Nora said slowly。 〃The canyons are too narrow； the updrafts on the clifftops too precarious。 I looked into that very thoroughly when I was planning the expedition。〃
Aragon looked at Peter； then looked back at Nora。 〃Are you absolutely certain？〃
〃The closest settlement is three days' ride from here。 We can't take him out on horseback？〃
Aragon gazed at Peter again； then shook his head。 〃It would kill him。〃
Smithback and Black appeared in the doorway； carrying between them a crude stretcher of tarps lashed to two wooden poles。 Moving quickly； they set Holroyd's rigid body on the stretcher； restraining him with ropes。 Then； carefully； they hoisted him from the ground and carried him out into the central plaza。
Aragon followed them with his kit； despair on his face。 As they came out from beneath the shadow of the overhanging rock and approached the rope ladder； Nora felt a cold drop on her arm； then another。 It was beginning to rain。
Suddenly Holroyd gave a strangled cough。 His eyes bulged wider still； ringed red with panic； searching aimlessly。 His lips trembled； as if he was trying to force speech from a paralyzed jaw。 His limbs seemed to stretch； stiffening even further。 The ropes restraining him creaked and sighed。
Instantly； Aragon ordered them to ease the stretcher to the ground。 He knelt at Holroyd's chest； fumbling in his duffels at the same time。 Instruments went clattering to one side as he pulled out an endotrachial tube； attached to a black rubber bag。
Holroyd's jaws worked。 〃I let you down； Nora；〃 came a strangled whisper。
Immediately； Nora took his hand once again。 〃Peter； that's not true。 If it weren't for you； none of us would have found Quivira。 You're the whole reason we're here。〃
Peter began to struggle with more words； but Nora gently touched his lips。 〃Save your strength；〃 she whispered。
〃I'm going to have to tube him；〃 Aragon said； gently laying Holroyd's head back and snaking the clear plastic down into his lungs。 He pressed the ambu bag into Nora's hands。 〃Squeeze this every five seconds；〃 he said； dropping his ear to Holroyd's chest。 He listened； motionless； for a long moment。 Another tremor passed through Holroyd's body； and his eyes rolled up。 Aragon straightened up and； with violent heaves； began emergency heart massage。
As if in a dream； Nora sat beside Holroyd； filling his lungs； willing him to breathe； as the rain picked up； trickling down her face and arms。 There were no sounds except for the patter of the rain； the cracking thumps of Aragon's fists； the sigh of the ambu bag。
Then； it was over。 Aragon sat back； agonized face drenched with rain and sweat。 He looked briefly up at the sky； unseeing； and let his face sink into his hands。 Holroyd was dead。
39
AN HOUR LATER； THE ENTIRE
