mc.prey-第25章

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e　turned　and　walked　back　the　way　he　came。
　〃It's　great　to　see　you；〃　Ricky　said。　〃You　know　the　code　to　get　in？〃　I　said　I　did。　He　pointed　to　a　keypad。　I　punched　the　numbers　in。　The　glass　wall　slid　sideways。　I　stepped　into　another　narrow　space　about　four　feet　wide；　with　metal　grills　on　all　four　sides。　The　wall　closed　behind　me。
　A　fierce　blast　of　air　shot　up　from　the　floor；　puffing　up　my　trouser　legs；　ruffling　my　clothing。　Almost　immediately　it　was　followed　by　blasts　of　air　ing　from　both　sides；　then　from　top；　blowing　down　hard　on　my　hair　and　shoulders。　Then　a　whoosh　of　vacuum。　The　glass　in　front　of　me　slid　laterally。　I　smoothed　down　my　hair　and　stepped　out。
　〃Sorry　about　that。〃　Ricky　shook　my　hand　vigorously。　〃But　at　least　we　don't　have　to　wear　bunny　suits；〃　he　said。　I　noticed　that　he　looked　strong；　healthy。　The　muscles　in　his　forearms　were　defined。
　I　said；　〃You　look　good；　Ricky。　Working　out？〃
　〃Oh；　you　know。　Not　really。〃
　〃You're　pretty　cut；〃　I　said。　I　punched　him　on　the　shoulder。
　He　grinned。　〃Just　tension　on　the　job。　Did　Vince　frighten　you？〃
　〃Not　exactly　。。。〃
　〃He's　a　little　strange；〃　Ricky　said。　〃Vince　grew　up　alone　out　in　the　desert　with　his　mother。　She　died　when　he　was　five。　Body　was　pretty　deposed　when　they　finally　found　her。　Poor　kid；　he　just　didn't　know　what　to　do。　I　guess　I'd　be　strange；　too。〃　Ricky　gave　a　shrug。　〃But　I'm　glad　you're　here；　Jack。　I　was　afraid　you　wouldn't　e。〃　Despite　Ricky's　apparent　good　health；　I　was　noticing　now　that　he　seemed　nervous；　edgy。　He　led　me　briskly　down　a　short　hallway。　〃So。　How's　Julia？〃
　〃Broke　her　arm；　and　hit　her　head　pretty　badly。　She's　in　the　hospital　for　observation。　But　she's　going　to　be　all　right。〃
　〃Good。　That's　good。〃　He　nodded　quickly；　continuing　down　a　corridor。　〃Who's　taking　care　of　the　kids？〃
　I　told　him　that　my　sister　was　in　town。
　〃Then　you　can　stay　awhile？　A　few　days？〃
　I　said；　〃I　guess。　If　you　need　me　that　long。〃　Ordinarily；　software　consultants　don't　spend　a　lot　of　time　on…site。　One　day；　maybe　two。　Not　more　than　that。
　Ricky　glanced　over　his　shoulder　at　me。　〃Did　Julia；　ah；　explain　to　you　about　this　place？〃
　〃Not　really；　no。〃
　〃But　you　knew　she　was　spending　a　lot　of　time　here。〃
　I　said；　〃Oh　sure。　Yes。〃
　〃The　last　few　weeks；　she　came　out　almost　every　day　on　the　helicopter。　Stayed　over　a　couple　of　nights；　too。〃
　I　said；　〃I　didn't　know　she　took　such　an　interest　in　manufacturing。〃
　Ricky　seemed　to　hesitate　a　moment。　Then　he　said；　〃Well；　Jack；　this　is　a　whole　new　thing　。。。〃　He　frowned。　〃She　really　didn't　tell　you　anything？〃
　〃No。　Not　really。　Why？〃
　He　didn't　answer。
　He　opened　the　far　door　and　waved　me　through。　〃This　is　our　residential　module；　where　everybody　sleeps　and　eats。〃
　The　air　was　cool　after　the　passageway。　The　walls　were　the　same　smooth　Formica　material。　I　heard　a　low；　continuous　whoosh　of　air　handlers。　A　series　of　doors　opened　off　the　hallway。　One　of　them　had　my　name　on　it；　written　in　marker　on　a　piece　of　tape。　Ricky　opened　the　door。　〃Home　sweet　home；　Jack。〃
　The　room　was　monastic…a　small　bed；　a　tiny　desk　just　large　enough　to　hold　a　workstation　monitor　and　keyboard。　Above　the　bed；　a　shelf　for　books　and　clothes。　All　the　furniture　had　been　coated　with　smooth…flowing　white　plastic　laminate。　There　were　no　nooks　or　crannies　to　hold　stray　particles　of　dirt。　There　was　no　window　in　the　room　either；　but　a　liquid…crystal　screen　showed　a　view　of　the　desert　outside。
　There　was　a　plastic　watch　and　a　belt　with　a　plastic　buckle　on　the　bed。　I　put　them　on。
　Ricky　said；　〃Dump　your　gear；　and　I'll　give　you　the　tour。〃
　Still　keeping　his　brisk　pace；　he　led　me　into　a　medium…size　lounge　with　a　couch　and　chairs　around　a　coffee　table；　and　a　bulletin　board　on　the　wall。　All　the　furniture　here　was　the　same　flowing　plastic　laminate。　〃To　the　right　is　the　kitchen　and　the　rec　room　with　TV；　video　games；　so　forth。〃　We　entered　the　small　kitchen。　There　were　two　people　there；　a　man　and　a　woman；　eating　sandwiches　standing　up。　〃I　think　you　know　these　guys；〃　Ricky　said；　grinning。　And　I　did。　They　had　been　on　my　team　at　MediaTronics。
　Rosie　Castro　was　dark；　thin；　exotic…looking；　and　sarcastic；　she　wore　baggy　cargo　shorts　and　a　T…shirt　tight　across　her　large　breasts；　which　read　YOU　WISH。　Independent　and　rebellious；　Rosie　had　been　a　Shakespearean　scholar　at　Harvard　before　she　decided；　in　her　words；　that　〃Shakespeare　is　fucking　dead。　For　fucking　centuries。　There　is　nothing　new　to　say。　What's　the　point？〃　She　transferred　to　MIT；　became　a　protégée　of　Robert　Kim；　working　on　natural　language　programming。　It　turned　out　she　was　brilliant　at　it。　And　these　days　natural　language　programs　were　starting　to　involve　distributed　processing。　Because　it　turned　out　people　evaluate　a　sentence　in　several　ways　simultaneously；　while　it　is　being　spoken；　they　don't　wait　until　it　is　finished　but　rather　they　form　expectations　of　what　is　ing。　That's　a　perfect　situation　for　distributed　processing；　which　can　work　on　a　problem　at　several　points　simultaneously。　I　said；　〃Still　wearing　those　T…shirts；　Rosie。〃　At　MediaTronics；　we'd　had　some　trouble　about　the　way　she　dressed。
　〃Hey。　Keeps　the　boys　awake；〃　she　said；　shrugging。
　〃Actually；　we　ignore　them。〃　I　turned　to　David　Brooks；　stiff；　formal；　obsessively　neat；　and　almost　bald　at　twenty…eight。　He　blinked　behind　thick　glasses。　〃They're　not　that　good；　anyway；〃　he　said。　Rosie　stuck　her　tongue　out　at　him。
　David　was　an　engineer；　and　he　had　an　engineer's　bluntness　and　lack　of　social　skills。　He　was　also　full　of　contradictions；　although　he　fussed　over　every　detail　of　his　work　and　appearance；　on　weekends　he　raced　a　dirt　bike；　often　ing　back　covered　in　mud。　He　shook　my　hand　enthusiastically。　〃I'm　very　glad　you're　here；　Jack。〃
　I　said；　〃Somebody's　going　to　have　to　tell　me　why　you're　all　so　glad　to　see　me。〃　Rosie　said；　〃Well；　it's　because　you　know　more　about　the　multi…agent　algorithms　that…〃
　〃I'm　going　to　show　him　around　first；〃　Ricky　said；　interrupting。　〃Then　we'll　talk。〃
　〃Why？〃　Rosie　said。　〃You　want　it　to　be　a　surprise？〃
　〃Hell　of　a　surprise；〃　David　said。
　〃No；　not　at　all；〃　Ricky　said；　giving　them　a　hard　look。　〃I　just　want　Jack　to　have　some　background　first。　I　want　to　go　over　that　with　him。〃
　David　looked　at　his　watch。　〃Well；　how　much　time　do　you　think　that　will　take？　Because　I　figure　we've　got…〃
　〃I　said；　Let　me　show　him　around；　for　Christ's　sake！〃　Ricky　was　almost　snarling。　I　was　surprised；　I'd　never　seen　him　lose　his　temper　before。　But　apparently　they　had：
　〃Okay；　okay；　Ricky。〃
　〃Hey；　you're　the　boss；　Ricky。〃
　〃That's　right；　I　am；〃　Ricky　said；　still　visibly　angry。　〃And　by　the　way；　your　break　ended　ten　minutes　ago。　So　let's　get　back　to　work。〃　He　looked　into　the　adjoining　game　room。　〃Where　are　the　others？〃
　〃Fixing　the　perimeter　sensors。〃
　〃You　mean　they're　outside？〃
　〃No；　no。　They're　in　the　utility　room。　Bobby　thinks　there's　a　calibration　problem　with　the　sensor　units。〃
　〃Great。　Did　anybody　tell　Vince？〃
　〃No。　It's　software：　Bobby's　taking　care　of　it。〃
　It　was　at　that　point　that　my　cell　phone　beeped。　I　was　surprised；　pulled　it　out　of　my　pocket。　I　turned　to　the　others。　〃Cell　phones　work？〃
　〃Yeah；〃　Ricky　said；　〃we're　wired　here。〃　He　went　back　to　his　argument　with　David　and　Rosie。　I　stepped　into　the　corridor　and　got　my　messages。　There　was　only　one；　from　the　hospital；　about　Julia。　〃We　understand　you　are　Ms。　Forman's　husband；　and　if　you　could　call　us　please　as　soon　as　possible　。。。〃　Then　an　extension　for　a　Dr。　Rana。　I　dialed　back　at　once。　The　switchboard　put　me　through。　〃ICU。〃
　I　asked　for　Dr。　Rana；　and　waited　until　he　came　on。　I　said；　〃This　is　Jack　Forman。　Julia　Forman's　husband。〃
　〃Oh　yes；　Mr。　Forman。〃　A　pleasant；　melodic　voice。　〃Thank　you　for　calling　back。　I　understand　you　acpanied　your　wife　to　the　hospital　last　night。　Yes？　Well　then　you　know　the　seriousness　of　her　injuries；　or　should　I　say　her　potential　injuries。　We　really　do　feel　that　she　needs　to　have　a　thorough　workup　for　cervical　fracture；　and　for　subdural　hematoma；　and　she　needs　a　pelvic　fracture　workup　as　well。〃
　〃Yes；〃　I　said。　〃That's　what　I　was　told　last　night。　Is　there　a　problem？〃
　〃Actually；　there　is。　Your　wife　is　refusing　treatment。〃
　〃She　is？〃
　〃Last　night；　she　allowed　us　to　take　X…rays　and　to　set　the　fractures　in　her　wrist。　We've　exp