mc.prey-第36章

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　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；　you　can't　make　it。〃
　〃I　see　that；〃　I　said。　The　first　swarm　had　already　reached　the　door；　and　was　standing　in　front　of　it；　blocking　my　way。　I　stopped；　uncertain　what　to　do。　I　saw　a　stick　on　the　ground　in　front　of　me；　a　big　one；　four　feet　long。　I　picked　it　up；　swung　it　in　my　hand。　The　swarm　pulsed；　but　did　not　move　from　the　door。
　The　second　swarm　was　still　ing　toward　me。
　It　was　time　for　a　diversion。　I　was　familiar　with　the　PREDPREY　code。　I　knew　the　swarms　were　programmed　to　pursue　moving　targets　if　they　seemed　to　be　fleeing　from　them。　What　would　make　a　good　target？
　I　cocked　my　arm；　and　threw　the　black　dissection　kit　high　into　the　air；　in　the　general　direction　of　the　second　swarm。　The　kit　landed　on　edge；　and　tumbled　across　the　ground　for　a　moment。　Immediately；　the　second　swarm　began　to　go　after　it。
　At　the　same　moment；　the　first　swarm　moved　away　from　the　door；　also　pursuing　the　kit。　It　was　just　like　a　dog　chasing　a　ball。　I　felt　a　moment　of　elation　as　I　watched　it　go。　It　was；　after　all；　just　a　programmed　swarm。　I　thought：　This　is　child's　play。　I　hurried　toward　the　door。　That　was　a　mistake。　Because　apparently　my　hasty　movement　triggered　the　swarm；　which　immediately　stopped；　and　swirled　backward　to　the　door　again；　blocking　my　path。　There　it　remained；　pulsing　streaks　of　silver；　like　a　blade　glinting　in　the　sun。　Blocking　my　path。
　It　took　me　a　moment　to　realize　the　significance　of　that。　My　movement　hadn't　triggered　the　swarm　to　pursue　me。　The　swarm　hadn't　chased　me　at　all。　Instead　it　had　moved　to　block　my　way。　It　was　anticipating　my　movement。
　That　wasn't　in　the　code。　The　swarm　was　inventing　new　behavior；　appropriate　to　the　situation。　Instead　of　pursuing　me；　it　had　fallen　back　and　trapped　me。
　It　had　gone　beyond　its　programming…way　beyond。　I　couldn't　see　how　that　had　happened。　I　thought　it　must　be　some　kind　of　random　reinforcement。　Because　the　individual　particles　had　very　little　memory。　The　intelligence　of　the　swarm　was　necessarily　limited。　It　shouldn't　be　that　difficult　to　outsmart　it。
　I　tried　to　feint　to　the　left；　then　the　right。　The　cloud　went　with　me；　but　only　for　a　moment。　Then　it　dropped　back　to　the　door　again。　As　if　it　knew　that　my　goal　was　the　door；　and　by　staying　there　it　would　succeed。
　That　was　far　too　clever。　There　had　to　be　additional　programming　they　hadn't　told　me　about。　I　said　into　the　headset；　〃What　the　hell　have　you　guys　done　with　these　things？〃　David：　〃It's　not　going　to　let　you　get　past；　Jack。〃
　Just　hearing　him　say　that　irritated　me。　〃You　think　so？　We'll　see。〃　Because　my　next　step　was　obvious。　Close　to　the　ground　like　this；　the　swarm　was　structurally　vulnerable。　It　was　a　cluster　of　particles　no　larger　than　specks　of　dust。　If　I　disrupted　the　cluster…if　I　broke　up　its　structure…then　the　particles　would　have　to　reorganize　themselves；　just　as　a　scattered　flock　of　birds　would　re…form　in　the　air。　That　would　take　at　least　a　few　seconds。　And　in　that　time　I　would　be　able　to　get　through　the　door。
　But　how　to　disrupt　it？　I　swung　the　stick　in　my　hand；　hearing　it　whoosh　through　the　air；　but　it　was　clearly　unsatisfactory。　I　needed　something　with　a　much　bigger　flat　surface；　like　a　paddle　or　a　palm　frond…something　to　create　a　large　disrupting　wind　。。。　My　mind　was　racing。　I　needed　something。
　Something。
　Behind　me；　the　second　cloud　was　closing　in。　It　moved　toward　me　in　an　erratic　zigzag　pattern；　to　cut　off　any　attempt　I　might　make　to　run　past　it。　I　watched　with　a　kind　of　horrified　fascination。　I　knew　that　this；　too；　had　never　been　coded　in　the　program。　This　was　self…organized；　emergent　behavior…and　its　purpose　was　only　too　clear。　It　was　stalking　me。　The　pulsing　sound　grew　louder　as　the　swarm　came　closer　and　closer。
　I　had　to　disrupt　it。
　Turning　in　a　circle；　I　looked　at　the　ground　all　around　me。　I　saw　nothing　I　could　use。　The　nearest　juniper　tree　was　too　far　away。　The　cholla　cactuses　were　flimsy。　I　thought；　of　course　there's　nothing　out　here；　it's　the　fucking　desert。　I　scanned　the　exterior　of　the　building；　hoping　someone　had　left　out　an　implement；　like　a　rake　。。。
　Nothing。
　Nothing　at　all。　I　was　out　here　with　nothing　but　the　shirt　on　my　back；　and　there　was　nobody　that　could　help　me　to…
　Of　course！
　The　headset　crackled：　〃Jack；　listen　。。。〃
　But　I　didn't　hear　any　more　after　that。　As　I　pulled　my　shirt　over　my　head；　the　headset　came　away；　falling　to　the　ground。　And　then；　holding　the　shirt　in　my　hand；　I　swung　it　in　broad　whooshing　arcs　through　the　air。　And　screaming　like　a　banshee；　I　charged　the　swarm　by　the　door。
　The　swarm　vibrated　with　a　deep　thrumming　sound。　It　flattened　slightly　as　I　ran　toward　it；　and　then　I　was　in　the　midst　of　the　particles；　and　plunged　into　an　odd　semidarkness；　like　being　in　a　dust　storm。　I　couldn't　see　anything…I　couldn't　see　the　door…I　groped　blindly　for　the　doorknob…and　my　eyes　stung　from　the　particles；　but　I　kept　swinging　my　shirt　in　broad　whooshing　arcs；　and　in　a　moment　the　darkness　began　to　fade。　I　was　dispersing　the　cloud；　sending　particles　spinning　off　in　all　directions。　My　vision　was　clearing；　and　my　breathing　was　still　okay；　though　my　throat　felt　dry　and　painful。　I　began　to　feel　thousands　of　tiny　pinpricks　all　over　my　body；　but　they　hardly　hurt。
　Now　I　could　see　the　door　in　front　of　me。　The　doorknob　was　just　to　my　left。　I　kept　swinging　my　shirt；　and　suddenly　the　cloud　seemed　to　clear　entirely　away；　almost　as　if　it　was　moving　out　of　range　of　my　disruption。　In　that　instant　I　slipped　through　the　door　and　slammed　it　shut　behind　me。　I　blinked　in　sudden　darkness。　I　could　hardly　see。　I　thought　my　eyes　would　adjust　from　the　glare　of　sunlight；　and　I　waited　a　moment；　but　my　vision　did　not　improve。　Instead；　it　seemed　to　be　getting　worse。　I　could　just　make　out　the　glass　doors　of　the　airlock　directly　ahead。　I　still　felt　the　stinging　pinpricks　all　over　my　skin。　My　throat　was　dry　and　my　breathing　was　raspy。　I　coughed。　My　vision　was　dimming。　I　started　to　feel　dizzy。
　On　the　other　side　of　the　airlock；　Ricky　and　Mae　stood　watching　me。　I　heard　Ricky　shout；　〃e　on；　Jack！　Hurry！〃
　My　eyes　burned　painfully。　My　dizziness　grew　rapidly　worse。　I　leaned　against　the　wall　to　keep　from　falling　over。　My　throat　felt　thick。　I　was　having　difficulty　breathing。　Gasping；　I　waited　for　the　glass　doors　to　open；　but　they　remained　closed。　I　stared　stupidly　at　the　airlock。　〃You　have　to　stand　in　front　of　the　doors！　Stand！〃
　I　felt　like　the　world　was　in　slow　motion。　All　my　strength　was　gone。　My　body　felt　weak　and　shaky。　The　stinging　was　worse。　The　room　was　getting　darker。　I　didn't　think　I　could　stand　up　on　my　own。
　〃Stand！　Jack！〃
　Somehow；　I　shoved　away　from　the　wall；　and　lurched　toward　the　airlock。　With　a　hiss；　the　glass　doors　slid　open。
　〃Go；　Jack！　Now！〃
　I　saw　spots　before　my　eyes。　I　was　dizzy；　and　sick　to　my　stomach。　I　stumbled　into　the　airlock；　banging　against　the　glass　as　I　stepped　inside。　With　every　second　that　passed　it　was　harder　to　breathe。　I　knew　I　was　suffocating。
　Outside　the　building；　I　heard　the　low　thrumming　sound　start　up　again。　I　turned　slowly　to　look　back。
　The　glass　doors　hissed　shut。
　I　looked　down　at　my　body　but　could　barely　see　it。　My　skin　appeared　black。　I　was　covered　in　dust。　My　body　ached。　My　shirt　was　black　with　dust；　too。　The　spray　stung　me；　and　I　closed　my　eyes。　Then　the　air　handlers　started　up；　whooshing　loudly。　I　saw　the　dust　sucked　off　my　shirt。　My　vision　was　clearer；　but　I　still　couldn't　breathe。　The　shirt　slipped　from　my　hand；　flattening　against　the　grate　at　my　feet。　I　bent　to　reach　down　for　it。　My　body　began　to　shake；　tremble。　I　heard　only　the　roar　of　the　handlers。
　I　felt　a　wave　of　nausea。　My　knees　buckled。　I　sagged　against　the　wall。　I　looked　at　Mae　and　Ricky　through　the　second　glass　doors；　they　seemed　far　away。　As　I　watched；　they　receded　even　farther；　moving　away　into　the　distance。　Soon　they　were　too　far　away　for　me　to　worry　any　longer。　I　knew　I　was　dying。　As　I　closed　my　eyes；　I　fell　to　the　ground；　and　the　roar　of　the　air　handlers　faded　into　cold　and　total　silence。
　　
　DAY　6　
　11：12　A。M。
　〃Don't　move。〃
　Something　icy…cold　coursed　through　my　veins。　I　shuddered。
　〃Jack。　Don't