mc.prey-第24章

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　to　see　in　a　bank　vault。　Beyond　the　second　glass　wall　I　could　see　a　burly　man　in　blue　trousers　and　a　blue　work　shirt；　with　the　Xymos　logo　on　the　pocket。　He　was　clearly　the　plant　maintenance　engineer。　He　gestured　to　me。
　〃It's　an　airlock。　Door's　automatic。　Walk　forward。〃
　I　did；　and　the　nearest　glass　door　hissed　open。　A　red　light　came　on。　In　the　partment　ahead；　I　saw　grillwork　on　floor；　ceiling；　and　both　walls。　I　hesitated。　〃Looks　like　a　fuckin'　toaster；　don't　it？〃　the　man　said；　grinning。　He　had　some　teeth　missing。　〃But　don't　worry；　it'll　just　blow　you　a　little。　e　ahead。〃
　I　stepped　into　the　glass　partment；　and　set　my　bag　on　the　ground。
　〃No；　no。　Pick　the　bag　up。〃
　I　picked　it　up　again。　Immediately；　the　glass　door　behind　me　hissed　shut；　the　steel　arms　unfolding　smoothly。　The　pressure　pads　sealed　with　a　thunk。　I　felt　a　slight　disfort　in　my　ears　as　the　airlock　pressurized。　The　man　in　blue　said；　〃You　might　want　to　close　your　eyes。〃　I　closed　my　eyes　and　immediately　felt　chilling　spray　strike　my　face　and　body　from　all　sides。　My　clothes　were　soaked。　I　smelled　a　stinging　odor　like　acetone；　or　nail　polish　remover。　I　began　to　shiver；　the　liquid　was　really　cold。
　The　first　blast　of　air　came　from　above　my　head；　a　roar　that　quickly　built　to　hurricane　intensity。　I　stiffened　my　body　to　steady　myself。　My　clothes　flapped　and　pressed　flat　against　my　body。　The　wind　increased；　threatening　to　tear　the　bag　from　my　hand。　Then　the　air　stopped　for　a　moment；　and　a　second　blast　came　upward　from　the　floor。　It　was　disorienting；　but　it　only　lasted　a　few　moments。　Then　with　a　whoosh　the　vacuum　pumps　kicked　in　and　I　felt　a　slight　ache　in　my　ears　as　the　pressure　dropped；　like　an　airplane　descending。　Then　silence。　A　voice　said；　〃That's　it。　e　ahead。〃
　I　opened　my　eyes。　The　liquid　they'd　sprayed　on　me　had　evaporated；　my　clothes　were　dry。　The　doors　hissed　open　before　me。　I　stepped　out　and　the　man　in　blue　looked　at　me　quizzically。　〃Feel　okay？〃
　〃Yeah；　I　think　so。〃
　〃No　itching？〃
　〃No　。。。〃
　〃Good。　We　had　a　few　people　who　were　allergic　to　the　stuff。　But　we've　got　to　do　this　routine；　for　the　clean　rooms。〃
　I　nodded。　It　was　obviously　a　procedure　to　remove　dust　and　other　contaminants。　The　dousing　fluid　was　highly　volatile；　evaporating　at　room　temperature；　drawing　off　microparticles　on　my　body　and　clothes。　The　air　jets　and　vacuum　pleted　the　scrub。　The　procedure　would　remove　any　loose　particles　on　my　body　and　suck　them　away。
　〃I'm　Vince　Reynolds；〃　the　man　said；　but　he　didn't　hold　out　his　hand。　〃You　call　me　Vince。　And　you're　Jack？〃
　I　said　I　was。
　〃Okay；　Jack；〃　he　said。　〃They're　waiting　for　you；　so　let's　get　started。　We　got　to　take　precautions；　because　this　is　an　HMF；　that's　high　magnetic　field　environment；　greater　than　33　Tesla；　so　。。。〃　He　picked　up　a　cardboard　box。　〃Better　lose　your　watch。〃　I　put　the　watch　in　the　box。
　〃And　the　belt。〃
　I　took　my　belt　off；　put　it　in　the　box。
　〃Any　other　jewelry？　Bracelet？　Necklace？　Piercings？　Decorative　pins　or　medals？　MedicAlert？〃
　〃No。〃
　〃How　about　metal　inside　your　body？　Old　injury；　bullets；　shrapnel？　No？　Any　pins　for　broken　arms　or　legs；　hip　or　knee　replacement？　No？　Artificial　valves；　artificial　cartilage；　vascular　pumps　or　implants？〃
　I　said　I　didn't　have　any　of　those　things。
　〃Well；　you're　still　young；〃　he　said。　〃Now　how　about　in　your　bag？〃　He　made　me　take　everything　out　and　spread　it　on　a　table；　so　he　could　rummage　through　it。　I　had　plenty　of　metal　in　there：　another　belt　with　a　metal　buckle；　nail　clippers；　a　can　of　shaving　cream；　razor　and　blades；　a　pocket　knife；　blue　jeans　with　metal　rivets　。。。
　He　took　the　knife　and　the　belt　but　left　the　rest。　〃You　can　put　your　stuff　back　in　the　bag；〃　he　said。　〃Now；　here's　the　deal。　Your　bag　goes　to　the　residence　building；　but　no　farther。　Okay？　There's　an　alarm　at　the　residence　door　if　you　try　to　take　any　metal　past　there。　But　do　me　a　favor　and　don't　set　it　off；　okay？　'Cause　it　shuts　down　the　magnets　as　a　safety　procedure　and　it　takes　about　two　minutes　to　start　'em　up　again。　Pisses　the　techs　off；　especially　if　they're　fabbing　at　the　time。　Ruins　all　their　hard　work。〃
　I　said　I　would　try　to　remember。
　〃The　rest　of　your　stuff　stays　right　here。〃　He　nodded　to　the　wall　behind　me；　I　saw　a　dozen　small　safes；　each　with　an　electronic　keypad。　〃You　set　the　bination　and　lock　it　up　yourself。〃　He　turned　aside　so　I　could　do　that。
　〃I　won't　need　a　watch？〃
　He　shook　his　head。　〃We'll　get　you　a　watch。〃
　〃What　about　a　belt？〃
　〃We'll　get　you　a　belt。〃
　〃And　my　laptop？〃　I　said。
　〃It　goes　in　the　safe；〃　he　said。　〃Unless　you　want　to　scrub　your　hard　drive　with　the　magnetic　field。〃　I　put　the　laptop　in　with　the　rest　of　my　stuff；　and　locked　the　door。　I　felt　strangely　stripped；　like　a　man　entering　prison。　〃You　don't　want　my　shoelaces；　too？〃　I　said；　making　a　joke。　〃Nah。　You　keep　those。　So　you　can　strangle　yourself；　if　it　turns　out　you　need　to。〃
　〃Why　would　I　need　to？〃
　〃I　really　couldn't　say。〃　Vince　shrugged。　〃But　these　guys　working　here？　Let　me　tell　you；　they're　all　fucking　crazy。　They're　making　these　teeny…weeny　little　things　you　can't　see；　pushing　around　molecules　and　shit；　sticking　'em　together。　It's　real　tense　and　detailed　work；　and　it　makes　them　crazy。　Every　fucking　one　of　'em。　Nutty　as　loons。　e　this　way。〃　We　passed　through　another　set　of　glass　doors。　But　this　time；　there　was　no　spray。
　*　*　*
　We　entered　the　power　plant。　Beneath　blue　halogen　lamps；　I　saw　huge　metal　tubs　ten　feet　high；　and　fat　ceramic　insulators　thick　as　a　man's　leg。　Everything　hummed。　I　felt　a　distinct　vibration　in　the　floor。　There　were　signs　all　around　with　jagged　red　lightning　bolts　saying　warning：　lethal　electrical　currents！
　〃You　use　a　lot　of　power　here；〃　I　said。
　〃Enough　for　a　small　town；〃　Vince　said。　He　pointed　to　one　of　the　signs。　〃Take　those　warnings　seriously。　We　had　problems　with　fires；　a　while　back。〃
　〃Oh？〃
　〃Yeah。　Got　a　nest　of　rats　in　the　building。　Buggers　kept　getting　fried。　Literally。　I　hate　the　smell　of　burning　rat　fur；　don't　you？〃
　〃Never　had　that　experience；〃　I　said。
　〃Smells　like　what　you'd　think。〃
　〃Uh…huh；〃　I　said。　〃How　did　the　rats　get　in？〃
　〃Up　through　the　toilet　bowl。〃　I　must　have　looked　surprised；　because　Vince　said；　〃Oh；　you　don't　know　that？　Rats　do　that　all　the　time；　it's　just　a　short　swim　for　them　to　get　in。　'Course；　if　it　happened　while　you　were　sitting；　it'd　be　a　nasty　surprise。〃　He　gave　a　short　laugh。　〃Problem　was　the　contractor　for　the　building　didn't　bury　the　leach　field　deep　enough。　Anyhow；　rats　got　in。　We've　had　a　few　accidents　like　that　since　I've　been　here。〃
　〃Is　that　right？　What　kind　of　accidents？〃
　He　shrugged。　〃They　tried　to　make　these　buildings　perfect；〃　he　said。　〃Because　they're　working　with　such　small…size　things。　But　it's　not　a　perfect　world；　Jack。　Never　has　been。　Never　will　be。〃　I　said　again；　〃What　kind　of　accidents？〃
　By　then　we　had　e　to　the　far　door；　with　a　keypad；　and　Vince　punched　in　numbers　quickly。　The　door　clicked　open。　〃All　the　doors　are　keyed　the　same。　Oh　six；　oh　four；　oh　two。〃　Vince　pushed　the　door　wide；　and　we　stepped　into　a　covered　passageway　connecting　the　power　plant　to　the　other　buildings。　It　was　stifling　hot　here；　despite　the　roar　of　the　air　conditioner。　〃Contractor；〃　Vince　explained。　〃Never　balanced　the　air　handlers　right。　We　had　'em　back　five　times　to　fix　it；　but　this　passage　is　always　hot。〃
　At　the　end　of　the　corridor　was　another　door；　and　Vince　had　me　punch　in　the　code　myself。　The　door　clicked　open。
　I　faced　another　airlock：　a　wall　of　thick　glass；　with　another　wall　a　few　feet　beyond。　And　behind　that　second　wall；　I　saw　Ricky　Morse　in　jeans　and　a　T…shirt；　grinning　and　waving　cheerfully　to　me。
　His　T…shirt　said；　〃Obey　Me；　I　Am　Root。〃
　It　was　an　inside　joke。　In　the　UNIX　operating　system；　it　meant　the　boss。
　Over　an　inter　speaker；　Ricky　said；　〃I'll　take　it　from　here；　Vince。〃
　Vince　waved。　〃No　problem。〃
　〃You　fix　that　positive　pressure　setting？〃
　〃Did　it　an　hour　ago。　Why？〃
　〃It　may　not　be　holding　in　the　main　lab。〃
　〃I'll　check　it　again；〃　Vince　said。　〃Maybe　we　got　another　leak　somewhere。〃　He　slapped　me　on　the　back；　jerked　his　thumb　toward　the　interior　of　the　building。　〃Lots　of　luck　in　there。〃　Then　he　turned　and　walked　back　the　way　he　came。
　〃It's　great　to　see　you；〃　Ricky　said。　〃You　know　the　code