mc.prey-第41章

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Jack。　You've　brought　sanity　and　order　here。　Just　。。。　just　be　careful　out　there；　okay？〃
　〃I　will。〃
　Ricky　stepped　aside。
　I　went　out　the　door　past　him。
　Going　down　the　hallway　to　the　power　station；　with　the　air　conditioners　roaring　full　blast；　Mae　fell　into　step　beside　me。　I　said　to　her；　〃You　really　don't　need　to　go　out　there；　Mae。　You　could　tell　me　over　the　radio　how　to　handle　the　isotopes。〃
　〃It's　not　the　isotopes　I'm　concerned　with；〃　she　said；　her　voice　low；　so　it　would　be　buried　in　the　roar。　〃It's　the　rabbit。〃
　I　wasn't　sure　I'd　heard　her。　〃The　what？〃
　〃The　rabbit。　I　need　to　examine　the　rabbit　again。〃
　〃Why？〃
　〃You　remember　that　tissue　sample　I　cut　from　the　stomach？　Well；　I　looked　at　it　under　the　microscope　a　few　minutes　ago。〃
　〃And？〃
　〃I'm　afraid　we　have　big　problems；　Jack。〃
　　
　DAY　6　
　2：52　P。M。
　I　was　the　first　one　out　the　door；　squinting　in　the　desert　sunlight。　Even　though　it　was　almost　three　o'clock；　the　sun　seemed　as　bright　and　hot　as　ever。　A　hot　wind　ruffled　my　trousers　and　shirt。　I　pulled　my　headset　mouthpiece　closer　to　my　lips　and　said；　〃Bobby；　you　reading？〃
　〃I　read　you；　Jack。〃
　〃Got　an　image？〃
　〃Yes；　Jack。〃
　Charley　Davenport　came　out　and　laughed。　He　said；　〃You　know；　Ricky；　you　really　are　a　stupid　shmuck。　You　know　that？〃
　Over　my　headset；　I　heard　Ricky　say；　〃Save　it。　You　know　I　don't　like　pliments。　Just　get　on　with　it。〃
　Mae　came　through　the　door　next。　She　had　a　backpack　slung　over　one　shoulder。　She　said　to　me；　〃For　the　isotopes。〃
　〃Are　they　heavy？〃
　〃The　containers　are。〃
　Then　David　Brooks　came　out；　with　Rosie　close　behind　him。　She　made　a　face　as　she　stepped　onto　the　sand。　〃Jesus；　it's　hot；〃　she　said。
　〃Yeah；　I　think　you'll　find　deserts　tend　to　be　that　way；〃　Charley　said。
　〃No　shit；　Charley。〃
　〃I　wouldn't　shit　you；　Rosie。〃　He　belched。
　I　was　busy　scanning　the　horizon；　but　I　saw　nothing。　The　cars　were　parked　under　a　shed　about　fifty　yards　away。　The　shed　ended　in　a　square　white　concrete　building　with　narrow　windows。　That　was　the　storage　unit。
　We　started　toward　it。　Rosie　said；　〃Is　that　place　air…conditioned？〃
　〃Yes；〃　Mae　said。　〃But　it's　still　hot。　It's　poorly　insulated。〃
　〃Is　it　airtight？〃　I　said。
　〃Not　really。〃
　〃That　means　no；〃　Davenport　said；　laughing。　He　spoke　into　his　headset。　〃Bobby；　what　wind　do　we　have？〃
　〃Seventeen　knots；〃　Bobby　Lembeck　said。　〃Good　strong　wind。〃
　〃And　how　long　until　the　wind　dies？　Sunset？〃
　〃Probably；　yeah。　Another　three　hours。〃
　I　said；　〃That'll　be　plenty　of　time。〃
　I　noticed　that　David　Brooks　was　not　saying　anything。　He　just　trudged　toward　the　building。　Rosie　followed　close　behind　him。
　〃But　you　never　know；〃　Davenport　said。　〃We　could　all　be　toast。　Any　minute　now。〃　He　laughed　again；　in　his　irritating　way。
　Ricky　said；　〃Charley；　why　don't　you　shut　the　fuck　up？〃
　〃Why　don't　you　e　out　and　make　me；　big　boy？〃　Charley　said。　〃What's　the　matter；　your　veins　clogged　with　chicken　shit？〃
　I　said；　〃Let's　stay　focused；　Charley。〃
　〃Hey；　I'm　focused。　I'm　focused。〃
　The　wind　was　blowing　sand；　creating　a　brownish　blur　just　above　the　ground。　Mae　walked　beside　me。　She　looked　across　the　desert　and　said　abruptly；　〃I　want　to　have　a　look　at　the　rabbit。　You　all　go　ahead　if　you　want。〃
　She　headed　off　to　the　right；　toward　the　carcass。　I　went　with　her。　And　the　others　turned　in　a　group　and　followed　us。　It　seemed　everybody　wanted　to　stay　together。　The　wind　was　still　strong。　Charley　said；　〃Why　do　you　want　to　see　it；　Mae？〃
　〃I　want　to　check　something。〃　She　was　pulling　on　gloves　as　she　walked。
　The　headset　crackled。　Ricky　said；　〃Would　somebody　please　tell　me　what　the　hell　is　going　on？〃
　〃We're　going　to　see　the　rabbit；〃　Charley　said。
　〃What　for？〃
　〃Mae　wants　to　see　it。〃
　〃She　saw　it　before。　Guys；　you're　very　exposed　out　there。　I　wouldn't　be　waltzing　around。〃
　〃Nobody's　waltzing　around；　Ricky。〃
　By　now　I　could　see　the　rabbit　in　the　distance；　partially　obscured　by　the　blowing　sand。　In　a　few　moments；　we　were　all　standing　over　the　carcass。　The　wind　had　blown　the　body　over　on　its　side。　Mae　crouched　down；　turned　it　on　its　back；　laid　open　the　carcass。
　〃Jeez；〃　Rosie　said。
　I　was　startled　to　see　that　the　exposed　flesh　was　no　longer　smooth　and　pink。　Instead；　it　was　roughened　everywhere；　and　in　a　few　places　looked　as　if　it　had　been　scraped。　And　it　was　covered　by　a　milky　white　coating。
　〃Looks　like　it　was　dipped　in　acid；〃　Charley　said。
　〃Yes；　it　does；〃　Mae　said。　She　sounded　grim。
　I　glanced　at　my　watch。　All　this　had　occurred　in　two　hours。　〃What　happened　to　it？〃　Mae　had　taken　out　her　magnifying　glass　and　was　bent　close　to　the　animal。　She　looked　here　and　there；　moving　the　glass　quickly。　Then　she　said；　〃It's　been　partially　eaten。〃
　〃Eaten？　By　what？〃
　〃Bacteria。〃
　〃Wait　a　minute；〃　Charley　Davenport　said。　〃You　think　this　is　caused　by　Theta…d？　You　think　the　E。　coli　is　eating　it？〃
　〃We'll　know　soon　enough；〃　she　said。　She　reached　into　a　pouch；　and　pulled　out　several　glass　tubes　containing　sterile　swabs。
　〃But　it's　only　been　dead　a　short　time。〃
　〃Long　enough；〃　Mae　said。　〃And　high　temperatures　accelerate　growth。〃　She　daubed　the　animal　with　one　swab　after　another；　replacing　each　in　a　glass　tube。　〃Then　the　Theta…d　must　be　multiplying　very　aggressively。〃
　〃Bacteria　will　do　that　if　you　give　them　a　good　nutrient　source。　You　shift　into　log　phase　growth　where　they're　doubling　every　two　or　three　minutes。　I　think　that's　what's　happening　here。〃
　I　said；　〃But　if　that's　true；　it　means　the　swarm…〃
　〃I　don't　know　what　it　means；　Jack；〃　she　said　quickly。　She　looked　at　me　and　gave　a　slight　shake　of　the　head。　The　meaning　was　clear：　not　now。
　But　the　others　weren't　put　off。　〃Mae；　Mae；　Mae；〃　Charley　Davenport　said。　〃You're　telling　us　that　the　swarms　killed　the　rabbit　in　order　to　eat　it？　In　order　to　grow　more　coli？　And　make　more　nanoswarms？〃
　〃I　didn't　say　that；　Charley。〃　Her　voice　was　calm；　almost　soothing。　〃But　that's　what　you　think；〃　Charley　continued。　〃You　think　the　swarms　consume　mammalian　tissue　in　order　to　reproduce…〃
　〃Yes。　That's　what　I　think；　Charley。〃　Mae　put　her　swabs　away　carefully；　and　got　to　her　feet。　〃But　I've　taken　cultures；　now。　We'll　run　them　in　Luria　and　agerose；　and　we'll　see　what　we　see。〃
　〃I　bet　if　we　e　back　in　another　hour；　this　white　stuff　will　be　gone；　and　we'll　see　black　forming　all　over　the　body。　New　black　nanoparticles。　And　eventually　there'll　be　enough　for　a　new　swarm。〃
　She　nodded。　〃Yes。　I　think　so；　too。〃
　〃And　that's　why　the　wildlife　around　here　has　disappeared？〃　David　Brooks　said。
　〃Yes。〃　She　brushed　a　strand　of　hair　back　with　her　hand。　〃This　has　been　going　on　for　a　while。〃　There　was　a　moment　of　silence。　We　all　stood　around　the　rabbit　carcass；　our　backs　to　the　blowing　wind。　The　carcass　was　being　consumed　so　quickly；　I　imagined　I　could　almost　see　it　happening　right　before　my　eyes；　in　real　time。
　〃We　better　get　rid　of　those　fucking　swarms；〃　Charley　said。
　We　all　turned；　and　set　off　for　the　shed。
　Nobody　spoke。
　There　was　nothing　to　say。
　As　we　walked　ahead；　some　of　those　small　birds　that　hopped　around　the　desert　floor　under　the　cholla　cactus　suddenly　took　to　the　air；　chittering　and　wheeling　before　us。　I　said　to　Mae；　〃So　there's　no　wildlife；　but　the　birds　are　here？〃
　〃Seems　to　be　that　way。〃
　The　flock　wheeled　and　came　back；　then　settled　to　the　ground　a　hundred　yards　away。　〃Maybe　they're　too　small　for　the　swarms　to　bother　with；〃　Mae　said。　〃Not　enough　flesh　on　their　bodies。〃
　〃Maybe。〃　I　was　thinking　there　might　be　another　answer。　But　to　be　sure；　I　would　have　to　check　the　code。
　I　stepped　from　the　sun　into　the　shade　of　the　corrugated　shed；　and　moved　along　the　line　of　cars　toward　the　door　of　the　storage　unit。　The　door　was　plastered　with　warning　symbols…for　nuclear　radiation；　biohazard；　microwaves；　high　explosives；　laser　radiation。　Charley　said；　〃You　can　see　why　we　keep　this　shit　outside。〃
　As　I　came　to　the　door；　Vince　said；　〃Jack；　you　have　a　call。　I'll　patch　it。〃　My　cell　phone　rang。　It　was　probably　Julia。　I　flipped　it　open。　〃Hello？〃
　〃Dad。〃　It　was　Eric。　With　that　emphatic　tone　that　he　got　when　he　was　upset。
　I　sighed。　〃Yes；　Eric。〃
　〃When　are　you　ing　back？〃
　〃I'm　not　sure；　son。〃
　〃Will　you　be　here　for　dinner？〃
　〃I'm　afraid　not。　Why？　What's　the　problem？〃
　〃She　is　such