mc.prey-第23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！


ything　was　released？〃
　〃Well；　the　dead　animals。　A　coyote；　some　desert　rats。　Maybe　a　few　birds。〃
　〃Hell；　animals　die　in　nature　all　the　time。　I　mean；　remember　the　business　about　those　slashed　cows？　It　was　supposed　to　be　aliens　from　UFOs　that　were　slashing　the　cows。　Finally　turned　out　the　cows　were　dying　of　natural　causes；　and　it　was　deposing　gas　in　the　carcasses　that　split　them　open。　Remember　that？〃
　〃Vaguely。〃
　Timid　voice：　〃I'm　not　sure　we　can　just　deny…〃
　〃Fuck　yes；　deny。〃
　〃Aren't　there　pictures？　I　think　the　environmentalists　took　pictures。〃
　〃Well；　who　cares？　What　will　the　pictures　show；　a　dead　coyote？　Nobody　is　going　to　get　worked　up　about　a　dead　coyote。　Trust　me。　Pilot？　Pilot；　where　the　fuck　are　we？〃　I　opened　my　eyes。　I　was　sitting　in　the　front　of　the　helicopter；　alongside　the　pilot。　The　helicopter　was　flying　east；　into　the　glare　of　low　morning　sun。　Beneath　my　feet　I　saw　mostly　flat　terrain；　with　low　clumps　of　cactus；　juniper；　and　the　occasional　scraggly　Joshua　tree。　The　pilot　was　flying　alongside　the　power…line　towers　that　marched　in　single　file　across　the　desert；　a　steel　army　with　outstretched　arms。　The　towers　cast　long　shadows　in　the　morning　light。　A　heavyset　man　leaned　forward　from　the　backseat。　He　was　wearing　a　suit　and　tie。　〃Pilot？　Are　we　there　yet？〃
　〃We　just　crossed　the　Nevada　line。　Another　ten　minutes。〃
　The　heavyset　man　grunted　and　sat　back。　I'd　met　him　when　we　took　off；　but　I　couldn't　remember　his　name　now。　I　glanced　back　at　the　three　men；　all　in　suits　and　ties；　who　were　traveling　with　me。　They　were　all　PR　consultants　hired　by　Xymos。　I　could　match　their　appearance　to　their　voices。　A　slender；　nervous　man；　twisting　his　hands。　Then　a　middle…aged　man　with　a　briefcase　on　his　lap。　And　the　heavyset　man；　older　and　growly；　obviously　in　charge。　〃Why　the　hell　did　they　put　it　in　Nevada；　anyway？〃
　〃Fewer　regulations；　easier　inspections。　These　days　California　is　sticky　about　new　industry。　There　was　going　to　be　a　year's　delay　just　for　environmental…impact　statements。　And　a　far　more　difficult　permitting　process。　So　they　came　here。〃
　Growly　looked　out　the　window　at　the　desert。　〃What　a　shithole；〃　he　said。　〃I　don't　give　a　fuck　what　goes　on　out　here；　it's　not　a　problem。〃　He　turned　to　me。　〃What　do　you　do？〃
　〃I'm　a　puter　programmer。〃
　〃You　covered　by　an　NDA？〃　He　meant；　did　I　have　a　non…disclosure　agreement　that　would　prevent　me　from　discussing　what　I　had　just　heard。
　〃Yes；〃　I　said。
　〃You　ing　out　to　work　at　the　plant？〃
　〃To　consult；〃　I　said。　〃Yes。〃
　〃Consulting's　the　way　to　go；〃　he　said；　nodding　as　if　I　were　an　ally。　〃No　responsibility。　No　liability。　Just　give　your　opinion；　and　watch　them　not　take　it。〃　With　a　crackle；　the　pilot's　voice　broke　in　over　the　headsets。　〃Xymos　Molecular　Manufacturing　is　dead　ahead；〃　he　said。　〃You　can　just　see　it　now。〃
　Twenty　miles　in　front　of　us；　I　saw　an　isolated　cluster　of　low　buildings　silhouetted　on　the　horizon。　The　PR　people　in　the　back　all　leaned　forward。
　〃Is　that　it？〃　said　Growly。　〃That's　all　it　is？〃
　〃It's　bigger　than　it　looks　from　here；〃　the　pilot　said。
　As　the　helicopter　came　closer；　I　could　see　that　the　buildings　were　interlocked；　featureless　concrete　blocks；　all　whitewashed。　The　PR　people　were　so　pleased　they　almost　burst　into　applause。　〃Hey；　it's　beautiful！〃
　〃Looks　like　a　fucking　hospital。〃
　〃Great　architecture。〃
　〃It'll　photograph　great。〃
　I　said；　〃Why　will　it　photograph　great？〃
　〃Because　it　has　no　projections；〃　the　man　with　the　briefcase　said。　〃No　antennas；　no　spikes；　no　things　poking　up。　People　are　afraid　of　spikes　and　antennas。　There　are　studies。　But　a　building　that's　plain　and　square　like　this；　and　white…perfect　color　choice；　associations　to　virginal；　hospital；　cure；　pure…a　building　like　this；　they　don't　care。〃
　〃Those　environmentalists　are　fucked；〃　said　Growly；　with　satisfaction。　〃They　do　medical　research　here；　right？〃
　〃Not　exactly　。。。〃
　〃They　will　when　I　get　through；　trust　me。　Medical　research　is　the　way　to　go　on　this。〃
　The　pilot　pointed　out　the　different　buildings　as　he　circled　them。　〃That　first　concrete　block；　that's　power。　Walkway　to　that　low　building；　that's　the　residences。　Next　door；　fab　support；　labs；　whatever。　And　then　the　square　windowless　three…story　one；　that's　the　main　fab　building。　They　tell　me　it's　a　shell；　it's　got　another　building　inside　it。　Then　over　to　the　right；　that　low　flat　shed；　that's　external　storage　and　parking。　Cars　have　to　be　under　shade　here；　or　the　dashboards　buckle。　Get　a　first…degree　burn　if　you　touch　your　steering　wheel。〃　I　said；　〃And　they　have　residences？〃
　The　pilot　nodded。　〃Yeah。　Have　to。　Nearest　motel　is　a　hundred　and　sixty…one　miles。　Over　near　Reno。〃
　〃So　how　many　people　live　in　this　facility？〃　Growly　said。
　〃They　can　take　twelve；〃　the　pilot　said。　〃But　they've　generally　got　about　five　to　eight。　Doesn't　take　a　lot　to　run　the　place。　It's　all　automated；　from　what　I　hear。〃
　〃What　else　do　you　hear？〃
　〃Not　very　damn　much；〃　the　pilot　said。　〃They're　closed…mouthed　about　this　place。　I've　never　even　been　inside。〃
　〃Good；〃　said　Growly。　〃Let's　make　sure　they　keep　it　that　way。〃
　The　pilot　turned　the　stick　in　his　hand。　The　helicopter　banked；　and　started　down。　I　opened　the　plastic　door　in　the　bubble　cockpit；　and　started　to　get　out。　It　was　like　stepping　into　an　oven。　The　blast　of　heat　made　me　gasp。
　〃This　is　nothing！〃　the　pilot　shouted；　over　the　whirr　of　the　blades。　〃This　is　almost　winter！　Can't　be　more　than　a　hundred　and　five！〃
　〃Great；〃　I　said；　inhaling　hot　air。　I　reached　in　the　back　for　my　overnight　bag　and　my　laptop。　I'd　stowed　them　under　the　seat　of　the　timid　man。
　〃I　have　to　take　a　piss；〃　said　Growly；　releasing　his　seat　belt。
　〃Dave　。。。〃　said　the　man　with　the　briefcase；　in　a　warning　tone。
　〃Fuck；　it's　just　for　a　minute。〃
　〃Dave…〃　an　embarrassed　glance　toward　me；　then　lowering　his　voice：　〃They　said；　we　don't　get　out　of　the　helicopter；　remember？〃
　〃Aw　hell。　I　can't　wait　another　hour。　Anyway；　what's　the　difference？〃　He　gestured　toward　the　surrounding　desert。　〃There's　nothing　the　fuck　out　here　for　a　million　miles。〃
　〃But；　Dave…〃
　〃You　guys　give　me　a　pain。　I'm　going　to　pee；　damn　it。〃　He　hefted　his　bulk　up；　and　moved　toward　the　door。
　I　didn't　hear　the　rest　of　their　conversation　because　by　then　I　had　taken　off　my　earphones。　Growly　was　clambering　out。　I　grabbed　my　bags；　turned　and　moved　away；　crouched　beneath　the　blades。　They　cast　a　flickering　shadow　on　the　pad。　I　came　to　the　edge　of　the　pad　where　the　concrete　ended　abruptly　in　a　dirt　path　that　threaded　among　the　clumps　of　cholla　cactus　toward　the　blocky　white　power　building　fifty　yards　away。　There　was　no　one　to　greet　me…in　fact；　no　one　in　sight　at　all。
　Looking　back；　I　saw　Growly　zip　up　his　trousers　and　climb　back　into　the　helicopter。　The　pilot　pulled　the　door　shut　and　lifted　off；　waving　to　me　as　he　rose　into　the　air。　I　waved　back；　then　ducked　away　from　the　swirl　of　spitting　sand。　The　helicopter　circled　once　and　headed　west。　The　sound　faded。
　The　desert　was　silent　except　for　the　hum　of　the　electrical　power　lines　a　few　hundred　yards　away。　The　wind　ruffled　my　shirt；　flapped　my　trouser　legs。　I　turned　in　a　slow　circle；　wondering　what　to　do　now。　And　thinking　about　the　words　of　the　PR　guy：　They　said；　we　don't　get　out　of　the　helicopter；　remember？
　〃Hey！　Hey；　you！〃
　I　looked　back。　A　door　had　cracked　open　in　the　white　power　block。　A　man's　head　stuck　out。　He　shouted；　〃Are　you　Jack　Forman？〃
　〃Yes；〃　I　said。
　〃Well；　what　the　hell　you　waiting　for；　an　engraved　invitation？　Get　inside；　for　Chrissake。〃
　And　he　slammed　the　door　shut　again。
　That　was　my　wele　to　the　Xymos　Fabrication　Facility。　Lugging　my　bags；　I　trudged　down　the　dirt　path　toward　the　door。
　Things　never　turn　out　the　way　you　expect。
　*　*　*
　I　stepped　into　a　small　room；　with　dark　gray　walls　on　three　sides。　The　walls　were　some　smooth　material　like　Formica。　It　took　my　eyes　a　moment　to　adjust　to　the　relative　darkness。　Then　I　saw　that　the　fourth　wall　directly　ahead　of　me　was　entirely　glass；　leading　to　a　small　partment　and　a　second　glass　wall。　The　glass　walls　were　fitted　with　folding　steel　arms；　ending　in　metal　pressure　pads。　It　looked　a　little　bit　like　what　you'd　expect　to　see　in　a　bank　vault。　Beyond　the　second　glass　wall　I　could　see　a　burly　man　in　blue　trousers　and　a