mc.prey-第35章

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old　aside　the　slick　intestine。　With　a　single　stroke　of　the　scalpel　she　sliced　opened　the　stomach。　Muddy　green　liquid　spilled　out；　and　some　pulpy　material　that　seemed　to　be　undigested　fiber。　The　inner　wall　of　the　stomach　appeared　roughened；　but　Mae　said　that　was　normal。　She　ran　her　finger　expertly　around　the　stomach　wall；　then　paused。　〃Umm。　Look　there；〃　she　said。
　〃What？〃
　〃There。〃　She　pointed。　In　several　places　the　stomach　was　reddish；　bleeding　slightly　as　if　it　had　been　rubbed　raw。　I　saw　black　patches　in　the　midst　of　the　bleeding。　〃That's　not　normal；〃　Mae　said。　〃That's　pathology。〃　She　took　a　magnifying　glass　and　peered　closer；　then　dictated：　〃I　observe　dark　areas　approximately　four　to　eight　millimeters　in　diameter；　which　I　presume　to　be　clusters　of　nanoparticles　present　in　the　stomach　lining；〃　she　said。　〃These　clusters　are　found　in　association　with　mild　bleeding　of　the　villous　wall。〃
　〃There　are　nanoparticles　in　the　stomach？〃　I　said。　〃How　did　they　get　there？　Did　the　rabbit　eat　them？　Swallow　them　involuntarily？〃
　〃I　doubt　it。　I　would　assume　they　entered　actively。〃
　I　frowned。　〃You　mean　they　crawled　down　the…〃
　〃Esophagus。　Yes。　At　least；　I　think　so。〃
　〃Why　would　they　do　that？〃
　〃I　don't　know。〃
　She　never　paused　in　her　swift　dissection。　She　took　scissors　and　cut　upward　through　the　breastbone；　then　pushed　the　rib　cage　open　with　her　fingers。　〃Hold　here。〃　I　moved　my　hands　to　hold　the　ribs　open　as　she　had　done。　The　edges　of　bone　were　sharp。　With　my　other　hand；　I　held　the　hind　legs　open。　Mae　worked　between　my　hands。
　〃The　lungs　are　bright　pink　and　firm；　normal　appearance。〃　She　cut　one　lobe　with　the　scalpel；　then　again；　and　again。　Finally　she　exposed　the　bronchial　tube；　and　cut　it　open。　It　was　dark　black　on　the　inside。
　〃Bronchi　show　heavy　infestation　with　nanoparticles　consistent　with　inhalation　of　swarm　elements；〃　she　said；　dictating。　〃You　getting　this；　Bobby？〃
　〃Getting　it　all。　Video　resolution　is　good。〃
　She　continued　to　cut　upward。　〃Following　the　bronchial　tree　toward　the　throat　。。。〃　And　she　continued　cutting；　into　the　throat；　and　then　from　the　nose　back　across　the　cheek；　then　opening　the　mouth　。。。　I　had　to　turn　away　for　a　moment。　But　she　continued　calmly　to　dictate。　〃I　am　observing　heavy　infiltration　of　all　the　nasal　passages　and　pharynx。　This　is　suggestive　of　partial　or　full　airway　obstruction；　which　in　turn　may　indicate　the　cause　of　death。〃　I　looked　back。　〃What？〃
　The　rabbit's　head　was　hardly　recognizable　any　longer；　she　had　cut　the　jaw　free　and　was　now　peering　down　the　throat。　〃Have　a　look　for　yourself；〃　she　said；　〃there　seems　to　be　dense　particles　closing　the　pharynx；　and　a　response　that　looks　something　like　an　allergic　reaction　or…〃　Then　Ricky：　〃Say；　are　you　guys　going　to　stay　out　much　longer？〃
　〃As　long　as　it　takes；〃　I　said。　I　turned　to　Mae。　〃What　kind　of　allergic　reaction？〃
　〃Well；〃　she　said；　〃you　see　this　area　of　tissue；　and　how　swollen　it　is；　and　you　see　how　it's　turned　gray；　which　is　suggestive…〃
　〃You　realize；〃　Ricky　said；　〃that　you've　been　out　there　four　minutes　already。〃
　〃We're　only　out　here　because　we　can't　bring　the　rabbit　back；〃　I　said。
　〃That's　right；　you　can't。〃
　Mae　was　shaking　her　head　as　she　listened　to　this。　〃Ricky；　you're　not　helping　here　。。。〃
　Bobby　said；　〃Don't　shake　your　head；　Mae。　You're　moving　the　camera　back　and　forth。〃
　〃Sorry。〃
　But　I　saw　her　raise　her　head；　as　if　she　was　looking　toward　the　horizon；　and　while　she　did　so；　she　uncorked　a　test　tube　and　slipped　a　slice　of　stomach　lining　into　the　glass。　She　put　it　in　her　pocket。　Then　looked　back　down。　No　one　watching　the　video　would　have　seen　what　she　did。　She　said；　〃All　right；　we'll　take　blood　samples　now。〃
　〃Blood's　all　you're　bringing　in　here；　guys；〃　Ricky　said。
　〃Yes；　Ricky。　We　know。〃
　Mae　reached　for　the　syringe；　stuck　the　needle　into　an　artery；　drew　a　blood　sample；　expelled　it　into　a　plastic　tube；　popped　the　needle　off　one…handed；　put　on　another；　and　drew　a　second　sample　from　a　vein。　Her　pace　never　slowed。
　I　said；　〃I　have　the　feeling　you've　done　this　before。〃
　〃This　is　nothing。　In　Sichuan；　we　were　always　working　in　heavy　snowstorms；　you　can't　see　what　you're　doing；　your　hands　are　freezing；　the　animal's　frozen　solid；　can't　get　a　needle　in　。。。〃　She　set　the　tubes　of　blood　aside。　〃Now　we　will　just　take　a　few　cultures；　and　we're　done　。。。〃　She　flipped　over　her　case；　looked。　〃Oh；　bad　luck。〃
　〃What's　that？〃　I　said。
　〃The　culture　swabs　aren't　here。〃
　〃But　you　had　them　inside？〃
　〃Yes；　I'm　sure　of　it。〃
　I　said；　〃Ricky；　you　see　the　swabs　anywhere？〃
　〃Yes。　They're　right　here　by　the　airlock。〃
　〃You　want　to　bring　them　out　to　us？〃
　〃Oh　sure；　guys。〃　He　laughed　harshly。　〃No　way　I'm　going　out　there　in　daylight。　You　want　'em；　you　e　get　'em。〃
　Mae　said　to　me；　〃You　want　to　go？〃
　〃No；〃　I　said。　I　was　already　holding　the　animal　open；　my　hands　were　in　position。　〃I'll　wait　here。　You　go。〃
　〃Okay。〃　She　got　to　her　feet。　〃Try　and　keep　the　flies　off。　We　don't　want　any　more　contamination　than　necessary。　I'll　be　back　in　a　moment。〃　She　moved　off　at　a　light　jog　toward　the　door。　I　heard　her　footsteps　fade；　then　the　clang　of　the　metal　door　shutting　behind　her。　Then　silence。　Attracted　by　the　slit…open　carcass；　the　flies　came　back　in　force；　buzzing　around　my　head；　trying　to　land　on　the　exposed　guts。　I　released　the　rabbit's　hind　legs　and　swatted　the　flies　away　with　one　hand。　I　kept　myself　busy　with　the　flies；　so　I　wouldn't　think　about　the　fact　that　I　was　alone　out　here。
　I　kept　glancing　off　in　the　distance；　but　I　never　saw　anything。　I　kept　brushing　away　the　flies；　and　occasionally　my　hand　touched　against　the　rabbit's　fur；　and　that　was　when　I　noticed　that　beneath　the　fur；　the　skin　was　bright　red。
　Bright　red…exactly　like　a　bad　sunburn。　Just　seeing　it　made　me　shiver。
　I　spoke　into　my　headset。　〃Bobby？〃
　Crackle。　〃Yes；　Jack。〃
　〃Can　you　see　the　rabbit？〃
　〃Yes；　Jack。〃
　〃You　see　the　redness　of　the　skin？　Are　you　picking　that　up？〃
　〃Uh；　just　a　minute。〃
　I　heard　a　soft　whirr　by　my　temple。　Bobby　was　controlling　the　camera　remotely；　zooming　in。　The　whirring　stopped。
　I　said；　〃Can　you　see　this？　Through　my　camera？〃
　There　was　no　answer。
　〃Bobby？〃
　I　heard　murmurs；　whispers。　Or　maybe　it　was　static。
　〃Bobby；　are　you　there？〃
　Silence。　I　heard　breathing。
　〃Uh；　Jack？〃　Now　it　was　the　voice　of　David　Brooks。　〃You　better　go　in。〃
　〃Mae　hasn't　e　back　yet。　Where　is　she？〃
　〃Mae's　inside。〃
　〃Well；　I　have　to　wait；　she's　going　to　do　cultures…〃
　〃No。　e　in　now；　Jack。〃
　I　let　go　of　the　rabbit；　and　got　to　my　feet。　I　looked　around；　scanned　the　horizon。　〃I　don't　see　anything。〃
　〃They're　on　the　other　side　of　the　building；　Jack。〃
　His　voice　was　calm；　but　I　felt　a　chill。　〃They　are？〃
　〃e　inside　now；　Jack。〃
　I　bent　over；　picked　up　Mae's　samples；　her　dissection　kit　lying　beside　the　rabbit　carcass。　The　black　leather　of　the　kit　was　hot　from　the　sun。
　〃Jack？〃
　〃Just　a　minute　。。。〃
　〃Jack。　Stop　fucking　around。〃
　I　started　toward　the　steel　door。　My　feet　crunching　on　the　desert　floor。　I　didn't　see　anything　at　all。
　But　I　heard　something。
　It　was　a　peculiar　low；　thrumming　sound。　At　first　I　thought　I　was　hearing　machinery；　but　the　sound　rose　and　fell；　pulsing　like　a　heartbeat。　Other　beats　were　superimposed；　along　with　some　kind　of　hissing；　creating　a　strange；　unworldly　quality…like　nothing　I'd　ever　heard。　When　I　look　back　on　it　now；　I　think　that　more　than　anything　else；　it　was　the　sound　that　made　me　afraid。
　I　walked　faster。　I　said；　〃Where　are　they？〃
　〃ing。〃
　〃Where？〃
　〃Jack？　You　better　run。〃
　〃What？〃
　〃Run。〃
　I　still　couldn't　see　anything；　but　the　sound　was　building　in　intensity。　I　broke　into　a　jog。　The　frequency　of　the　sound　was　so　low；　I　felt　it　as　a　vibration　in　my　body。　But　I　could　hear　it；　too。　The　thumping；　irregular　pulse。
　〃Run；　Jack。〃
　I　thought；　Fuck　it。
　And　I　ran。
　*　*　*
　Swirling　and　glinting　silver；　the　first　swarm　came　around　the　corner　of　the　building。　The　hissing　vibration　was　ing　from　the　cloud。　Sliding　along　the　side　of　the　building；　it　moved　toward　me。　It　would　reach　the　door　long　before　I　could。
　I　looked　back　to　see　a　second　swarm　as　it　came　around　the　far　end　of　the　building。　It；　too；　moved　toward　me。
　The　headset　crackled。　I　heard　David　Brooks：　〃Jack；　yo