mc.prey-第51章

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　〃Jack？〃
　Ricky：　〃What's　the　matter　with　him？　He　knows　what　the　danger　is。〃
　Bobby：　〃I　know。〃
　〃He's　just　sitting　there。〃
　Charley　had　his　hands　around　my　waist。　His　head　was　on　my　shoulder。　I　could　hear　his　raspy　breathing。　I　said；　〃Hold　tight；　Charley。〃　He　nodded。
　Ricky：　〃Jack？　What're　you　doing？〃
　Then　at　my　ear；　in　a　voice　just　above　a　whisper；　Charley　said；　〃Fucking　idiot。〃
　〃Yes。〃　I　nodded。　I　waited。　I　could　see　the　swarms　now；　ing　around　the　building。　This　time　there　were　nine　swarms；　and　they　headed　straight　for　me　in　a　V　formation。　Their　own　flocking　behavior。
　Nine　swarms；　I　thought。　Soon　there　would　be　thirty　swarms；　and　then　two　hundred　。。。
　Bobby：　〃Jack；　do　you　see　them？〃
　〃I　see　them。〃　Of　course　I　saw　them。
　And　of　course　they　were　different　from　before。　They　were　denser　now；　the　columns　thicker　and　more　substantial。　Those　swarms　didn't　weigh　three　pounds　anymore。　I　sensed　they　were　closer　to　ten　or　twenty　pounds。　Maybe　even　more　than　that。　Maybe　thirty　pounds。　They　would　have　real　weight　now；　and　real　substance。
　I　waited。　I　stayed　where　I　was。　Some　detached　part　of　my　brain　was　wondering　what　the　formation　would　do　when　it　reached　me。　Would　they　circle　me？　Would　some　of　the　swarms　hang　back　and　wait？　What　did　they　make　of　the　noisy　bike？
　Nothing…they　came　right　for　me；　flattening　the　V　into　a　line；　then　into　a　kind　of　inverted　V。　I　could　hear　the　deep　vibrating　hum。　With　so　many　swarms　it　was　much　louder。　The　swirling　columns　were　twenty　yards　away　from　me；　then　ten。　Were　they　able　to　move　faster　now；　or　was　it　my　imagination？　I　waited　until　they　were　almost　upon　me　before　I　twisted　the　throttle　and　raced　forward。　I　passed　straight　through　the　lead　swarm；　into　the　blackness　and　out　again；　and　then　I　was　gunning　for　the　power　station　door；　bouncing　over　the　desert；　not　daring　to　look　back　over　my　shoulder。　It　was　a　wild　ride；　and　it　only　lasted　a　few　seconds。　As　we　reached　the　power　station；　I　dropped　the　bike；　put　my　shoulder　under　Charley's　arm；　and　staggered　the　final　step　or　two　to　the　door。
　The　swarms　were　still　fifty　yards　away　from　the　door　when　I　managed　to　turn　the　knob；　pull；　get　one　foot　in　the　crack；　and　kick　the　door　open　the　rest　of　the　way。　When　I　did　that　I　lost　my　balance；　and　Charley　and　I　more　or　less　fell　through　the　door　onto　the　concrete。　The　door　came　swinging　shut；　and　whanged　into　our　legs；　which　hung　outside。　I　felt　a　sharp　pain　in　my　ankles…but　worse；　the　door　was　still　open；　kept　ajar　by　our　legs。　Through　the　opening　I　could　see　the　swarms　approaching。
　I　scrambled　to　my　feet　and　dragged　Charley's　inert　body　into　the　room。　The　door　shut；　but　I　knew　it　was　a　fire　door；　and　it　wasn't　airtight。　Nanoparticles　could　e　right　in。　I　had　to　get　both　of　us　into　the　airlock。　We　wouldn't　be　safe　until　the　first　set　of　glass　doors　had　hissed　shut。　Grunting　and　sweating；　I　hauled　Charley　into　the　airlock。　I　got　him　into　a　sitting　position；　propped　up　against　the　side　blowers。　That　cleared　his　feet　of　the　glass　doors。　And　because　only　one　person　could　be　in　the　airlock　at　a　time；　I　stepped　back　outside。　And　I　waited　for　the　doors　to　close。
　But　they　didn't　close。
　I　looked　on　the　side　wall　for　some　sort　of　button；　but　I　didn't　see　anything。　The　lights　were　on　inside　the　airlock；　so　it　was　getting　power。　But　the　doors　didn't　close。　And　I　knew　the　swarms　were　fast　approaching。
　Bobby　Lembeck　and　Mae　came　running　into　the　far　room。　I　saw　them　through　the　second　set　of　glass　doors。　They　were　waving　their　arms；　making　big　gestures；　apparently　indicating　for　me　to　e　back　into　the　airlock。　But　that　didn't　make　sense。　Into　my　headset；　I　said；　〃I　thought　you　had　to　go　one　at　a　time。〃
　They　didn't　have　headsets；　and　couldn't　hear　me。　They　were　waving　frantically；　e　in；　e　in。
　I　held　up　two　fingers　questioningly。
　They　shook　their　heads。　They　seemed　to　be　indicating　I　was　missing　the　point。　At　my　feet；　I　saw　the　nanoparticles　begin　to　e　into　the　room　like　black　steam。　They　were　ing　through　the　edges　of　the　fire　door。　I　had　only　five　or　ten　seconds　now。　I　stepped　back　in　the　airlock。　Bobby　and　Mae　were　nodding；　approving。　But　the　doors　did　not　close。　Now　they　were　making　other　gestures；　lifting。
　〃You　want　me　to　lift　Charley？〃
　They　did。　I　shook　my　head。　Charley　was　slumped　there　in　a　sitting　position；　a　dead　weight　on　the　ground。　I　looked　back　at　the　anteroom；　and　saw　it　was　filling　with　black　particles；　starting　to　form　a　grayish　mist　in　the　air。　The　grayish　mist　was　ing　into　the　airlock　as　well。　I　felt　the　first　tiny　pinpricks　on　my　skin。
　I　looked　at　Bobby　and　Mae；　on　the　other　side　of　the　glass。　They　could　see　what　was　happening；　they　knew　only　seconds　remained。　They　were　again　making　gestures：　lift　Charley　up。　I　bent　over　him；　got　my　hands　under　his　armpits。　I　tried　to　haul　him　to　his　feet；　but　he　didn't　budge。
　〃Charley；　for　God's　sake；　help。〃　Groaning；　I　tried　again。　Charley　kicked　his　legs　and　pushed　with　his　arms　and　I　got　him　a　couple　of　feet　off　the　ground。　Then　he　slid　back　down。　〃Charley；　e　on；　once　more　。。。〃　I　pulled　up　as　hard　as　I　could；　and　this　time　he　helped　a　lot　and　we　got　his　legs　back　under　him　and　with　a　final　heave；　got　him　standing。　I　kept　my　hands　under　his　armpits；　we　were　in　a　kind　of　crazy　lovers'　clench。　Charley　was　wheezing。　I　looked　back　to　the　glass　doors。
　The　doors　didn't　close。
　The　air　was　getting　blacker　all　the　time。　I　looked　to　Mae　and　Bobby；　and　they　were　frantic；　holding　up　two　fingers；　shaking　them　at　me。　I　didn't　get　it。　〃Yes；　there's　two　of　us　。。。〃　What　was　wrong　with　the　damned　doors？　Finally　Mae　bent　over；　and　very　deliberately　pointed　with　one　finger　of　each　hand　to　her　two　shoes。　I　saw　her　mouth；　〃Two　shoes。〃　And　point　to　Charley。　〃Yeah；　so；　we　have　two　shoes。　He's　standing　on　two　shoes。〃
　Mae　shook　her　head。
　She　held　up　four　fingers。
　〃Four　shoes？〃
　The　pinpricks　were　irritating；　making　it　difficult　to　think。　I　felt　the　old　confusion　begin　to　seep　over　me。　My　brain　felt　sluggish。　What　did　she　mean；　four　shoes？　It　was　beginning　to　get　dark　in　the　airlock。　It　was　being　harder　to　see　Mae　and　Bobby。　They　were　pantomiming　something　else；　but　I　didn't　get　it。　They　began　to　feel　distant　to　me；　distant　and　trivial。　I　was　without　energy；　and　without　care。　Two　shoes；　four　shoes。
　And　then　I　got　it。　I　turned　my　back　to　Charley；　leaned　against　him；　and　said；　〃Put　your　hands　around　my　neck。〃　He　did；　and　I　grabbed　his　legs　and　lifted　his　feet　off　the　floor。　Instantly；　the　door　hissed　shut。
　That　was　it；　I　thought。
　The　blowers　began　to　blast　down　on　us。　The　air　rapidly　cleared。　I　strained　to　hold　Charley　up　and　I　managed　until　I　saw　the　second　set　of　doors　unlock　and　slide　open。　Mae　and　Bobby　hurried　into　the　airlock。
　And　I　just　fell　down。　Charley　landed　on　top　of　me。　I　think　it　was　Bobby　who　dragged　him　off　me。　I'm　not　sure。　From　that　point　on；　I　don't　remember　much　at　all。
　
　NEST
　
　DAY　6　
　6：18　P。M。
　I　woke　up　in　my　bed　in　the　residential　module。　The　air　handlers　were　roaring　so　loudly　the　room　sounded　like　an　airport。　Bleary…eyed；　I　staggered　over　to　the　door。　The　door　was　locked。　I　pounded　on　it　for　a　while　but　nobody　answered；　even　when　I　yelled。　I　went　to　the　little　workstation　on　the　desk　and　clicked　it　on。　A　menu　came　up　and　I　searched　for　some　kind　of　inter。　I　didn't　see　anything　like　that；　although　I　poked　around　the　interface　for　a　while。　I　must　have　set　something　off；　because　a　window　opened　and　Ricky　appeared；　smiling　at　me。　He　said；　〃So；　you're　awake。　How　do　you　feel？〃
　〃Unlock　the　goddamn　door。〃
　〃Is　your　door　locked？〃
　〃Unlock　it；　damn　it。〃
　〃It　was　only　for　your　own　protection。〃
　〃Ricky；〃　I　said；　〃open　the　damn　door。〃
　〃I　already　did。　It's　open；　Jack。〃
　I　walked　to　the　door。　He　was　right；　it　opened　immediately。　I　looked　at　the　latch。　There　was　an　extra　bolt；　some　kind　of　remote　locking　mechanism。　I'd　have　to　remember　to　tape　over　that。　On　the　monitor；　Ricky　said；　〃You　might　want　to　take　a　shower。〃
　〃Yeah；　I　would。　Why　is　the　air　so　loud？〃
　〃We　turned　on　full　venting　in　your　room；〃　Ricky　said。　〃In　case　there　were　any　extra　particles。〃
　I　rummaged　in　my　bag　for　clothes。　〃Where's　the　shower？〃
　〃Do　you　want　some　help？〃
　〃No；　I　do　not　want　some　help。　Just　te