mc.prey-第49章

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ough　the　cloth；　the　car　was　continuing　to　fill。　The　air　was　getting　darker　and　darker。　I　felt　the　pinpricks　all　over　my　skin。　〃Mae；　let's　run。〃
　She　didn't　answer；　she　just　kept　pushing　the　blanket　harder　into　the　cracks。　Probably　she　knew　we'd　never　make　it　if　we　went　outside。　The　swarms　would　run　us　down；　get　in　our　path；　make　us　slip　and　fall。　And　once　we　fell；　they　would　suffocate　us。　Just　as　they　did　to　the　others。　The　air　was　thicker。　I　started　to　cough。　In　the　semidarkness　I　kept　hearing　a　tinny　voice　from　the　headsets。　I　couldn't　tell　where　it　was　ing　from。　Mae's　headset　had　fallen　off；　too；　and　I　thought　I　had　seen　it　on　the　front　seat；　but　now　it　was　being　too　dark　to　see。　My　eyes　burned。　I　coughed　continuously。　Mae　was　coughing；　too。　I　didn't　know　if　she　was　still　stuffing　the　blanket。　She　was　just　a　shadow　in　the　fog。
　I　squeezed　my　eyes　against　the　sharp　pain。　My　throat　was　tightening；　and　my　cough　was　dry。　I　felt　dizzy　again。　I　knew　we　couldn't　survive　more　than　a　minute　or　so；　perhaps　less。　I　looked　back　at　Mae；　but　couldn't　see　her。　I　heard　her　coughing。　I　waved　my　hand；　trying　to　clear　the　fog　so　I　could　see　her。　It　didn't　work。　I　waved　my　hand　in　front　of　the　windshield；　and　it　cleared　momentarily。
　Despite　my　fit　of　coughing；　I　saw　the　lab　in　the　distance。　The　sun　was　shining。　Everything　looked　normal。　It　was　infuriating　that　it　should　appear　so　normal　and　peaceful　while　we　coughed　ourselves　to　death。　I　couldn't　see　what　happened　to　Charley。　He　wasn't　in　front　of　me　anywhere。　In　fact…I　waved　my　hand　again…all　I　saw　was…
　Blowing　sand。
　Jesus；　blowing　sand。
　The　wind　was　back　up。
　〃Mae。〃　I　coughed。　〃Mae。　The　door。〃
　I　don't　know　if　she　heard　me。　She　was　coughing　hard。　I　reached　for　the　driver's　side　door；　fumbling　for　the　handle。　I　felt　confused　and　disoriented。　I　was　coughing　continuously。　I　touched　hot　metal；　jerked　it　down。
　The　door　swung　open　beside　me。　Hot　desert　air　rushed　in；　swirling　the　fog。　The　wind　had　definitely　e　up。　〃Mae。〃
　She　was　racked　with　coughing。　Perhaps　she　couldn't　move。　I　lunged　for　the　passenger　door　opposite　me。　My　ribs　banged　on　the　gearshift。　The　fog　was　thinner　now；　and　I　saw　the　handle；　twisted　it；　and　shoved　the　door　open。　It　banged　shut　in　the　wind。　I　pushed　forward；　twisted；　shoved　it　open　again；　holding　it　open　with　my　hand。
　Wind　blew　through　the　car。
　The　black　cloud　vanished　in　a　few　seconds。　The　backseat　was　still　dark。　I　crawled　forward；　out　the　passenger　door；　and　opened　the　back　door。　She　reached　to　me；　and　I　hauled　her　out。　We　were　both　coughing　hard。　Her　legs　buckled。　I　threw　her　arm　over　my　shoulder　and　half　carried　her　out　into　the　open　desert。
　Even　now；　I　don't　know　how　I　made　it　back　to　the　laboratory　building。　The　swarms　had　vanished；　the　wind　was　blowing　hard。　Mae　was　a　dead　weight　on　my　shoulders；　her　body　limp；　her　feet　dragging　over　the　sand。　I　had　no　energy。　I　was　racked　with　spasms　of　coughing；　which　often　forced　me　to　stop。　I　couldn't　get　my　breath。　I　was　dizzy；　disoriented。　The　glare　of　the　sun　had　a　greenish　tinge　and　I　saw　spots　before　my　eyes。　Mae　was　coughing　weakly；　her　breaths　shallow。　I　had　the　feeling　she　wouldn't　survive。　I　trudged　on；　putting　one　foot　ahead　of　the　other。　Somehow　the　door　loomed　in　front　of　me；　and　I　got　it　open。　I　brought　Mae　into　the　black　outer　room。　On　the　other　side　of　the　glass　airlock；　Ricky　and　Bobby　Lembeck　were　waiting。　They　were　cheering　us　on；　but　I　couldn't　hear　them。　My　headset　was　back　in　the　car。　The　airlock　doors　hissed　open；　and　I　got　Mae　inside。　She　managed　to　stand；　though　she　was　doubled　over　coughing。　I　stepped　away。　The　wind　began　to　blow　her　clean。　I　leaned　against　the　wall；　out　of　breath；　dizzy。
　I　thought；　Haven't　I　done　this　before？
　I　looked　at　my　watch。　It　was　just　three　hours　since　I　had　narrowly　escaped　the　last　attack。　I　bent　over　and　put　my　hands　on　my　knees。　I　stared　at　the　floor　and　waited　for　the　airlock　to　bee　free。　I　glanced　over　at　Ricky　and　Bobby。　They　were　yelling；　pointing　to　their　ears。　I　shook　my　head。
　Couldn't　they　see　I　didn't　have　a　headset？
　I　said；　〃Where's　Charley？〃
　They　answered；　but　I　couldn't　hear　them。
　〃Did　he　make　it？　Where's　Charley？〃
　I　winced　at　a　harsh　electronic　squeal；　and　then　over　the　inter　Ricky　said；　〃…not　much　you　can　do。〃
　〃Is　he　here？〃　I　said。　〃Did　he　make　it？〃
　〃No。〃
　〃Where　is　he？〃
　〃Back　at　the　car；〃　Ricky　said。　〃He　never　got　out　of　the　car。　Didn't　you　know？〃
　〃I　was　busy；〃　I　said。　〃So　he's　back　there？〃
　〃Yeah。〃
　〃Is　he　dead？〃
　〃No；　no。　He's　alive。〃
　I　was　still　breathing　hard；　still　dizzy。　〃What？〃
　〃It's　hard　to　tell　on　the　video　monitor；　but　it　looks　like　he　is　alive　。。。〃
　〃Then　why　the　fuck　don't　you　guys　go　get　him？〃
　Ricky's　voice　was　calm。　〃We　can't；　Jack。　We　have　to　take　care　of　Mae。〃
　〃Someone　here　could　go。〃
　〃We　don't　have　anyone　to　spare。〃
　〃I　can't　go；〃　I　said。　〃I'm　in　no　shape　to　go。〃
　〃Of　course　not；〃　Ricky　said；　turning　on　his　soothing　voice。　The　undertaker's　voice。　〃All　this　must　be　a　terrible　shock　to　you；　Jack；　all　you've　gone　through…〃
　〃Just　。。。　tell　me　。。。　who's　going　to　get　him；　Ricky？〃
　〃To　be　brutally　honest；〃　Ricky　said；　〃I　don't　think　there's　any　point。　He　had　a　convulsion。　A　bad　one。　I　don't　think　he　has　much　left。〃
　I　said；　〃Nobody's　going？〃
　〃I'm　afraid　there's　no　point；　Jack。〃
　Inside　the　airlock；　Bobby　was　helping　Mae　out　and　leading　her　down　the　corridor。　Ricky　was　standing　there。　Watching　me　through　the　glass。
　〃Your　turn；　Jack。　e　on　in。〃
　I　didn't　move。　I　stayed　leaning　against　the　wall。　I　said；　〃Somebody　has　to　go　get　him。〃
　〃Not　right　now。　The　wind　isn't　stable；　Jack。　It'll　fall　again　any　minute。〃
　〃But　he's　alive。〃
　〃Not　for　long。〃
　〃Somebody　has　to　go；〃　I　said。
　〃Jack；　you　know　as　well　as　I　do　what　we're　up　against；〃　Ricky　said。　He　was　doing　the　voice　of　reason　now；　calm　and　logical。　〃We've　had　terrible　losses。　We　can't　risk　anybody　else。　By　the　time　somebody　gets　to　Charley；　he'll　be　dead。　He　may　be　dead　already。　e　on　and　get　in　the　airlock。〃
　I　was　taking　stock　of　my　body；　feeling　my　breathing；　my　chest；　my　deep　fatigue。　I　couldn't　go　back　out　right　now。　Not　in　the　condition　I　was　in。
　So　I　got　into　the　airlock。
　*　*　*
　With　a　roar；　the　blowers　flattened　my　hair；　fluttered　my　clothes；　and　cleaned　the　black　particles　from　my　clothes　and　skin。　My　vision　improved　almost　immediately。　I　breathed　easier。　Now　they　were　blowing　upward。　I　held　out　my　hand　and　saw　it　turn　from　black　to　pale　gray；　then　to　normal　flesh　color　again。
　Now　the　blowers　came　from　the　sides。　I　took　a　deep　breath。　The　pinpricks　were　no　longer　so　painful　on　my　skin。　Either　I　was　feeling　them　less；　or　they　were　being　blown　off　my　skin。　My　head　cleared　a　little。　I　took　another　breath。　I　didn't　feel　good。　But　I　felt　better。　The　glass　doors　opened。　Ricky　held　out　his　arms。　〃Jack。　Thank　God　you're　safe。〃
　I　didn't　answer　him。　I　just　turned　around；　and　went　back　the　way　I　had　e。
　〃Jack　。。。〃
　The　glass　doors　whished　shut；　and　locked　with　a　thunk。　〃I'm　not　leaving　him　out　there；〃　I　said。
　〃What're　you　going　to　do？　You　can't　carry　him；　he's　too　big。　What're　you　going　to　do？〃
　〃I　don't　know。　But　I'm　not　leaving　him　behind；　Ricky。〃
　And　I　went　back　outside。
　Of　course　I　was　doing　exactly　what　Ricky　wanted…exactly　what　he　expected　me　to　do…but　I　didn't　realize　it　at　the　time。　And　even　if　somebody　had　told　me；　I　wouldn't　have　credited　Ricky　with　that　degree　of　psychological　sophistication。　Ricky　was　pretty　obvious　in　the　way　he　managed　people。　But　this　time；　he　got　me。
　　
　DAY　6　
　4：22　P。M。
　The　wind　was　blowing　briskly。　There　was　no　sign　of　the　swarms；　and　I　crossed　to　the　shed　without　incident。　I　didn't　have　a　headset　so　I　was　spared　Ricky's　mentary。　The　back　passenger　door　of　the　Toyota　was　open。　I　found　Charley　lying　on　his　back；　motionless。　It　took　me　a　moment　to　see　he　was　still　breathing；　although　shallowly。　With　an　effort；　I　managed　to　pull　him　into　a　sitting　position。　He　stared　at　me　with　dull　eyes。　His　lips　were　blue　and　his　skin　was　chalky　gray。　A　tear　ran　down　his　cheek。　His　mouth　moved。　〃Don't　try　to　talk；〃　I　said。　〃Save　your　energy。〃　Grunting；　I　pulled　him　over　to　the　edge　of　the　seat；　by　the　door；　and　swung　his　legs　around　so　he　wa