michael crichton.congo-第62章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


ve　of　lava　came　sliding　down　the　mountainside。　They　heard　agonized　bellows　of　pain　from　the　gray　gorillas　on　the　hillside　as　hot　lava　rained　down　on　them。　As　they　watched；　the　foliage　collapsed　closer　and　closer　to　the　city；　until　finally　the　city　itself　crumbled　under　a　darkly　descending　cloud；　and　disappeared。
　The　Lost　City　of　Zinj　was　buried　forever。
　Only　then　did　Ross　realize　that　her　diamonds　were　buried　forever　as　well。
　
　
　
　6。　Nightmare
　
　THEY　HAD　NO　FOOD；　NO　WATER；　AND　VERY　LITTLE　ammunition。　They　dragged　themselves　through　the　jungle；　clothes　burned　and　torn；　faces　haggard；　exhausted。　They　did　not　speak　to　one　another；　but　silently　pressed　on。　Elliot　said　later　they　were　〃living　through　a　nightmare。〃
　The　world　through　which　they　passed　was　grim　and　colorless。　Sparkling　white　waterfalls　and　streams　now　ran　black　with　soot；　splashing　into　scummy　pools　of　gray　foam。　The　sky　was　dark　gray；　with　occasional　red　flashes　from　the　volcano。　The　very　air　became　filmy　gray；　they　coughed　and　stumbled　through　a　world　of　black　soot　and　ash。
　They　were　all　covered　with　ash…their　packs　gritty　on　their　backs；　their　faces　grimy　when　they　wiped　them；　their　hair　many　shades　darker。　Their　noses　and　eyes　burned。　There　was　nothing　to　do　about　it；　they　could　only　keep　going。
　As　Ross　trudged　through　the　dark　air；　she　was　aware　of　an　ironic　ending　to　her　personal　quest。　Ross　had　long　since　acquired　the　expertise　to　tap　into　any　ERTS　data　bank　she　wanted；　including　the　one　that　held　her　own　evaluation。　She　knew　her　assigned　qualities　by　heart：
　YOUTHFUL…ARROGANT　（probably）　/　TENUOUS　HUMAN　RAPPORT　（she　particularly　resented　that　one）　/　DOMINEERING　（maybe）　INTELLECTUALLY　ARROGANT　（only　natural）　/　INSENSITIVE　（whatever　that　meant）　/　DRIVEN　TO　SUCCEED　AT　ANY　COST（was　that　so　bad？）
　And　she　knew　her　Late…stage　conclusions。　All　that　flop…over　matrix　garbage　about　parental　figures　and　so　on。　And　the　last　line　of　her　report：　SUBJECT　MUST　BE　MONITORED　IN　LATE　STAGE　GOAL　ORIENTED　PROCEDURES。
　But　none　of　that　was　relevant。　She　had　gone　after　the　diamonds　only　to　be　beaten　by　the　worst　volcanic　eruption　in　Africa　in　a　decade。　Who　could　blame　her　for　what　had　happened？　It　wasn't　her　fault。　She　would　prove　that　on　her　next　expedition。。。。
　Munro　felt　the　frustration　of　a　gambler　who　has　placed　every　bet　correctly　but　still　loses。　He　had　been　correct　to　avoid　the　Euro…Japanese　consortium；　he　had　been　correct　to　go　with　ERTS；　and　yet　he　was　ing　out　empty…handed。　Well；　he　reminded　himself；　feeling　the　diamonds　in　his　pockets；　not　quite　empty　handed。
　Elliot　was　returning　without　photographs；　videotapes；　sound　recordings；　or　the　skeleton　of　a　gray　gorilla。　Even　his　measurements　had　been　lost。　Without　such　proofs；　he　dared　not　claim　a　new　species…in　fact；　he　would　be　unwise　even　to　discuss　the　possibility。　A　great　opportunity　had　slipped　away　from　him；　and　now；　walking　through　the　dark　landscape；　he　had　only　a　sense　of　the　natural　world　gone　mad：
　birds　fell　screeching　from　the　sky；　flopping　at　their　feet；　asphyxiated　by　the　gases　in　the　air　above；　bats　skittered　through　the　midday　air；　distant　animals　shrieked　and　howled。　A　leopard；　fur　burning　on　its　hindquarters；　ran　past　them　at　noon。　Somewhere　in　the　distance；　elephants　trumpeted　with　alarm。
　They　were　trudging　lost　souls　in　a　grim　sooty　world　that　seemed　like　a　description　of　hell；　perpetual　fire　and　darkness；　where　tormented　souls　screamed　in　agony。　And　behind　them　Mukenko　spat　cinders　and　glowing　rain。　At　one　point；　they　were　engulfed　in　a　shower　of　red…hot　embers　that　sizzled　as　they　struck　the　damp　canopy　overhead；　then　turned　the　wet　ground　underfoot　smoky；　burning　holes　in　their　clothing；　scorching　their　skin；　setting　hair　smoldering　as　they　danced　in　pain　and　finally　sought　shelter　beneath　tall　trees；　huddled　together；　awaiting　the　end　of　the　fiery　rain　from　the　skies。
　Munro　planned　from　the　first　moments　of　the　eruption　to　head　directly　for　the　wrecked　C…130　transport；　which　would　afford　them　shelter　and　supplies。　He　estimated　they　would　reach　the　aircraft　in　two　hours。　In　fact；　six　hours　passed　before　the　gigantic　ash…covered　hulk　of　the　plane　emerged　from　the　murky　afternoon　darkness。
　One　reason　it　had　taken　them　so　long　to　move　away　from　Mukenko　was　that　they　were　obliged　to　avoid　General　Muguru　and　his　troops。　Whenever　they　came　across　jeep　tracks；　Munro　led　them　farther　west；　into　the　depths　of　the　jungle。
　〃He's　not　a　fallow　you　want　to　meet；〃　Munro　said。　〃And　neither　are　his　boys。　And　they'd　think　nothing　of　cutting　your　liver　out　and　eating　it　raw。〃
　
　Dark　ash　on　wings　and　fuselage　made　the　giant　transport　look　as　if　it　had　crashed　in　black　snow。　Off　one　bent　wing；　a　kind　of　waterfall　of　ash　hissed　over　the　metal　down　to　the　ground。　Far　in　the　distance；　they　heard　the　soft　beating　of　Kigani　drums；　and　thumping　mortar　from　Muguru's　troops。
　Otherwise　it　was　ominously　quiet。
　Munro　waited　in　the　forest　beyond　the　wreckage；　watching　the　airplane。　Ross　took　the　opportunity　to　try　to　transmit　on　the　puter；　continuously　brushing　ash　from　the　video　screen；　but　she　could　not　reach　Houston。
　Finally　Munro　signaled；　and　they　all　began　to　move　forward。　Amy；　panicked；　tugged　at　Munro's　sleeve。　No　go；　she　signed。　People　there。
　Munro　frowned　at　her；　glanced　at　Elliot。　Elliot　pointed　to　the　airplane。　Moments　later；　there　was　a　crash；　and　two　white…painted　Kigani　warriors　emerged　from　the　aircraft；　onto　the　high　wing。　They　were　carrying　cases　of　whiskey　and　arguing　about　how　to　get　them　down　to　the　jungle　floor　below。　After　a　moment；　five　more　Kigani　appeared　beneath　the　wing；　and　the　cases　were　passed　to　them。　The　two　men　above　jumped　down；　and　the　group　moved　off。
　Munro　looked　at　Amy　and　smiled。
　Amy　good　gorilla；　she　signed。
　They　waited　another　twenty　minutes；　and　when　no　further　Kigani　appeared；　Munro　led　the　group　to　the　airplane。　They　were　just　outside　the　cargo　doors　when　a　rain　of　white　arrows　began　to　whistle　down　on　them。
　〃Inside！〃　Munro　shouted；　and　hurried　them　all　up　the　crumpled　landing　gear；　onto　the　upper　wing　surface；　and　from　there　into　the　airplane。　He　slammed　the　emergency　door；　arrows　clattered　on　the　outer　metal　surface。
　Inside　the　transport　it　was　dark；　the　floor　tilted　at　a　crazy　angle。　Boxes　of　equipment　had　slid　across　the　aisles；　toppled　over；　and　smashed。　Broken　glassware　crunched　underfoot。　Elliot　carried　Amy　to　a　seat；　and　then　noticed　that　the　Kigani　had　defecated　on　the　seats。
　Outside；　they　heard　drums；　and　the　steady　rain　of　arrows　on　the　metal　and　windows。　Looking　out　through　the　dark　ash；　they　glimpsed　dozens　of　white…painted　men；　running　through　the　trees；　slipping　under　the　wing。
　〃What　are　we　going　to　do？〃　Ross　asked。
　〃Shoot　them；〃　Munro　said　briskly；　breaking　open　their　supplies；　removing　machine…gun　clips。　〃We　aren't　short　of　ammunition。〃
　〃But　there　must　be　a　hundred　men　out　there。〃
　〃Yes；　but　only　one　man　is　important。　Kill　the　Kigani　with　red　streaks　painted　beneath　his　eyes。　That'll　end　the　attack　right　away。〃
　〃Why？〃　Elliot　asked。
　〃Because　he's　the　Angawa　sorcerer；〃　Munro　said；　moving　forward　to　the　cockpit。　〃Kill　him　and　we're　off　the　hook。〃
　
　Poison…tipped　arrows　clattered　on　the　plastic　windows　and　rang　against　the　metal；　the　Kigani　also　threw　feces；　which　thudded　dully　against　the　fuselage。　The　drums　beat　constantly。
　Amy　was　terrified；　and　buckled　herself　into　a　seat；　signing；　Amy　leave　now　bird　fly
　Elliot　found　two　Kigani　concealed　in　the　rear　passenger　partment。　lb　his　own　amazement　he　killed　both　without　hesitation；　firing　the　machine　gun　which　bucked　in　his　hands；　blasting　the　Kigani　back　into　the　passenger　seats；　shattering　windows；　crumpling　their　bodies。
　〃Very　good；　Doctor。〃　Kahega　grinned；　although　by　then　Elliot　was　shaking　uncontrollably。　He　slumped　into　a　seat　next　to　Amy。
　People　attack　bird　bird　fly　now　bird　fly　Amy　want　go。
　〃Soon；　Amy；〃　he　said；　hoping　it　would　prove　true。
　By　now；　the　Kigani　had　abandoned　their　frontal　assault；　they　were　attacking　from　the　rear；　where　there　were　no　windows。　Everyone　could　hear　the　sound　of　bare　feet　moving　over　the　tail　section　and　up　onto　the　fuselage　above　their　heads。　Two　warriors　managed　to　climb　thro