mc.prey-第34章

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　〃I'm　not。　We　run　a　level…six　clean　environment　here；　Jack。　That　rabbit's　filthy。　Can't　e　in。〃
　〃All　right；　then；　we　can　store　it　in　Mae's　lab　and…〃
　〃No　way；　Jack。　Sorry。　It's　not　ing　through　the　first　airlock。〃　I　looked　at　the　others。　They　were　all　nodding　their　heads　in　agreement。
　〃All　right；　then。　I'll　examine　it　out　there。〃
　〃You're　really　going　to　go　out？〃
　〃Why　not？〃　I　looked　at　them；　one　after　another。　〃I　have　to　tell　you　guys；　I　think　you've　all　got　your　knickers　in　a　twist。　The　cloud's　not　dangerous。　And　yes；　I'm　going　out。〃　I　turned　to　Mae。　〃Do　you　have　a　dissection　kit　of　some　kind　that…〃
　〃I'll　e　with　you；〃　she　said　quietly。
　〃Okay。　Thanks。〃　I　was　surprised　that　Mae　was　the　first　to　e　around　to　my　way　of　seeing　things。　But　as　a　field　biologist；　she　was　probably　better　than　the　others　at　assessing　real…world　risk。　In　any　case；　her　decision　seemed　to　break　some　tension　in　the　room；　the　others　visibly　relaxed。　Mae　went　off　to　get　the　dissecting　tools　and　some　lab　equipment。　That　was　when　the　phone　rang。　Vince　answered　it；　and　turned　to　me。　〃You　know　somebody　named　Dr。　Ellen　Forman？〃
　〃Yes。〃　It　was　my　sister。
　〃She's　on　the　line。〃　Vince　handed　me　the　phone；　and　stepped　back。　I　felt　suddenly　nervous。　I　glanced　at　my　watch。　It　was　eleven　o'clock　in　the　morning；　time　for　Amanda's　morning　nap。　She　should　be　asleep　in　her　crib　by　now。　Then　I　remembered　I　had　promised　my　sister　I　would　call　her　at　eleven　to　check　in；　to　see　how　things　were　going。　I　said；　〃Hello？　Ellen？　Is　everything　all　right？〃
　〃Sure。　Fine。〃　A　long；　long　sigh。　〃It's　fine。　I　don't　know　how　you　do　it；　is　all。〃
　〃Tired？〃
　〃About　as　tired　as　I've　ever　felt。〃
　〃Kids　get　off　to　school　okay？〃
　Another　sigh。　〃Yes。　In　the　car；　Eric　hit　Nicole　on　the　back；　and　she　punched　him　on　the　ear。〃
　〃You've　got　to　interrupt　them　if　they　start　that；　Ellen。〃
　〃So　I'm　learning；〃　she　said　wearily。
　〃And　the　baby？　How's　her　rash？〃
　〃Better。　I'm　using　the　ointment。〃
　〃Her　movements　okay？〃
　〃Sure。　She's　well　coordinated　for　her　age。　Is　there　a　problem　I　should　know　about？〃
　〃No；　no；〃　I　said。　I　turned　away　from　the　group；　lowered　my　voice。　〃I　meant；　is　she　pooping　okay？〃
　Behind　me；　I　heard　Charley　Davenport　snicker。
　〃Copiously；〃　Ellen　said。　〃She's　sleeping　now。　I　took　her　to　the　park　for　a　while。　She　was　ready　to　go　down。　Everything's　okay　at　the　house。　Except　the　pilot　for　the　water　heater　went　out；　but　the　guy's　ing　to　fix　it。〃
　〃Good；　good　。。。　Listen；　Ellen；　I'm　in　the　middle　of　something　here…〃
　〃Jack？　Julia　called　from　the　hospital　a　few　minutes　ago。　She　was　looking　for　you。〃
　〃Uh…huh　。。。〃
　〃When　I　said　you'd　gone　to　Nevada；　she　got　pretty　upset。〃
　〃Is　that　right？〃
　〃She　said　you　didn't　understand。　And　you　were　going　to　make　it　worse。　Something　like　that。　I　think　you　better　call　her。　She　sounded　agitated。〃
　〃Okay。　I'll　call。〃
　〃How　are　things　going　out　there？　You　be　back　tonight？〃
　〃Not　tonight；〃　I　said。　〃Sometime　tomorrow　morning。　Ellen；　I　have　to　go　now…〃
　〃Call　the　kids　at　dinnertime；　if　you　can。　They'd　like　to　hear　from　you。　Auntie　Ellen　is　fine；　but　she's　not　Dad。　You　know　what　I　mean。〃
　〃Okay。　You'll　eat　at　six？〃
　〃About。〃
　I　told　her　I'd　try　to　call；　and　I　hung　up。
　*　*　*
　Mae　and　I　were　standing　by　the　double　glass　walls　of　the　outer　airlock；　just　inside　the　building　entrance。　Beyond　the　glass；　I　could　see　the　solid…steel　fire　door　that　led　outside。　Ricky　was　standing　beside　us；　gloomy　and　nervous；　watching　as　we　made　our　final　preparations。　〃You　sure　this　is　necessary？　To　go　outside？〃
　〃It's　essential。〃
　〃Why　don't　you　and　Mae　wait　until　nightfall；　and　go　out　then？〃
　〃Because　the　rabbit　won't　be　there；〃　I　said。　〃By　nightfall；　coyotes　or　hawks　will　have　e　and　taken　the　carcass　away。〃
　〃I　don't　know　about　that；〃　Ricky　said。　〃We　haven't　seen　any　coyotes　around　here　for　a　while。〃
　〃Oh　hell；〃　I　said　impatiently；　turning　on　my　radio　headset。　〃In　the　time　we've　spent　arguing　about　this；　we　could　have　been　out　and　back　already。　See　you；　Ricky。〃　I　went　through　the　glass　door；　and　stood　in　the　airlock。　The　door　hissed　shut　behind　me。　The　air　handlers　whooshed　briefly　in　the　now…familiar　pattern；　and　then　the　far　glass　slid　open。　I　walked　toward　the　steel　fire　door。　Looking　back；　I　saw　Mae　stepping　into　the　airlock。　I　opened　the　fire　door　a　crack。　Harsh；　glaring　sunlight　laid　a　burning　strip　on　the　floor。　I　felt　hot　air　on　my　face。　Over　the　inter；　Ricky　said；　〃Good　luck；　guys。〃　I　took　a　breath；　pushed　the　door　wider；　and　stepped　out　into　the　desert。　The　wind　had　dropped；　and　the　midmorning　heat　was　stifling。　Somewhere　a　bird　chittered；　otherwise　it　was　silent。　Standing　by　the　door；　I　squinted　in　the　glare　of　the　sunlight。　A　shiver　ran　down　my　back。　I　took　another　deep　breath。
　I　was　certain　that　the　swarms　were　not　dangerous。　But　now　that　I　was　outside；　my　theoretical　inferences　seemed　to　lose　force。　I　must　have　caught　Ricky's　tension；　because　I　was　feeling　distinctly　uneasy。　Now　that　I　was　outside；　the　rabbit　carcass　looked　much　farther　away　than　I　had　imagined。　It　was　perhaps　fifty　yards　from　the　door；　half　the　length　of　a　football　field。　The　surrounding　desert　seemed　barren　and　exposed。　I　scanned　the　shimmering　horizon；　looking　for　black　shapes。　I　saw　none。
　The　fire　door　opened　behind　me；　and　Mae　said；　〃Ready　when　you　are；　Jack。〃
　〃Then　let's　do　it。〃
　We　set　off　toward　the　rabbit；　feet　crunching　on　the　desert　sand。　We　moved　away　from　the　building。　Almost　immediately；　my　heart　began　to　pound；　and　I　started　to　sweat。　I　forced　myself　to　breathe　deeply　and　slowly；　working　to　stay　calm。　The　sun　was　hot　on　my　face。　I　knew　I　had　let　Ricky　spook　me；　but　I　couldn't　seem　to　help　it。　I　kept　glancing　toward　the　horizon。　Mae　was　a　couple　of　steps　behind　me。　I　said；　〃How're　you　doing？〃
　〃I'll　be　glad　when　it's　over。〃
　We　were　moving　through　a　field　of　knee…high　yellow　cholla　cactus。　Their　spines　caught　the　sun。　Here　and　there；　a　large　barrel　cactus　stuck　up　from　the　floor　like　a　bristling　green　thumb。　Some　small；　silent　birds　hopped　on　the　ground；　beneath　the　cholla。　As　we　approached；　they　took　to　the　air；　wheeling　specks　against　the　blue。　They　landed　a　hundred　yards　away。　At　last　we　came　to　the　rabbit；　surrounded　by　a　buzzing　black　cloud。　Startled；　I　hesitated　a　step。
　〃It's　just　flies；〃　Mae　said。　She　moved　forward　and　crouched　down　beside　the　carcass；　ignoring　the　flies。　She　pulled　on　a　pair　of　rubber　gloves；　and　handed　me　a　pair　to　put　on。　She　placed　a　square　sheet　of　plastic　on　the　ground；　securing　it　with　a　rock　at　each　corner。　She　lifted　the　rabbit　and　set　it　down　in　the　center　of　the　plastic。　She　unzipped　a　little　dissection　kit　and　laid　it　open。　I　saw　steel　instruments　glinting　in　sunlight：　forceps；　scalpel；　several　kinds　of　scissors。　She　also　laid　out　a　syringe　and　several　rubber…topped　test　tubes　in　a　row。　Her　movements　were　quick；　practiced。　She　had　done　this　before。
　I　crouched　down　beside　her。　The　carcass　had　no　odor。　Externally　I　could　see　no　sign　of　what　had　caused　the　death。　The　staring　eye　looked　pink　and　healthy。　Mae　said；　〃Bobby？　Are　you　recording　me？〃
　Over　the　headset；　I　heard　Bobby　Lembeck　say；　〃Move　your　camera　down。〃
　Mae　touched　the　camera　mounted　on　her　sunglasses。
　〃Little　more　。。。　little　more　。。。　Good。　That's　enough。〃
　〃Okay；〃　Mae　said。　She　turned　the　rabbit's　body　over　in　her　hands；　inspecting　it　from　all　sides。　She　dictated　swiftly：　〃On　external　examination　the　animal　appears　entirely　normal。　There　is　no　sign　of　congenital　anomaly　or　disease；　the　fur　is　thick　and　healthy　in　appearance。　The　nasal　passages　appear　partially　or　entirely　blocked。　I　note　some　fecal　material　excreted　at　the　anus　but　presume　that　is　normal　evacuation　at　the　time　of　death。〃　She　flipped　the　animal　onto　its　back　and　held　the　forepaws　apart　with　her　hands。　〃I　need　you；　Jack。〃　She　wanted　me　to　hold　the　paws　for　her。　The　carcass　was　still　warm　and　had　not　begun　to　stiffen。
　She　took　the　scalpel　and　swiftly　cut　down　the　exposed　midsection。　A　red　gash　opened；　blood　flowed。　I　saw　bones　of　the　rib　cage；　and　pinkish　coils　of　intestine。　Mae　spoke　continuously　as　she　cut；　noting　the　tissue　color　and　texture。　She　said　to　me　〃Hold　here；〃　and　I　moved　my　one　hand　down；　to　hold　aside　the　slick　int