mc.prey-第58章

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quirements　and　advantages　of　a　particular　site。　All　this　was　acplished　with　no　architect；　no　foreman；　no　central　authority。　Nor　was　a　blueprint　for　construction　encoded　in　the　termite　genes。　Instead　these　huge　creations　were　the　result　of　relatively　simple　rules　that　the　individual　termites　followed　in　relation　to　one　another。　（Rules　like；　〃If　you　smell　that　another　termite　has　been　here；　put　a　dirt　pellet　on　this　spot。〃）　Yet　the　oute　was　arguably　more　plex　than　any　human　creation。　Now　we　were　seeing　a　new　construction　made　by　a　new　creature；　and　it　was　again　difficult　to　conceive　how　it　might　have　been　made。　How　could　a　swarm　make　a　mound；　anyway？　But　I　was　beginning　to　realize　that　out　here　in　the　desert；　asking　how　something　happened　was　a　fool's　errand。　The　swarms　were　changing　fast；　almost　minute　to　minute。　The　natural　human　impulse　to　figure　it　out　was　a　waste　of　time。　By　the　time　you　figured　it　out；　things　would　have　changed。
　Bobby　rumbled　up　in　his　ATV；　and　cut　his　light。　We　all　stood　there　under　the　stars。　Bobby　said；　〃What　do　we　do　now？〃
　〃Follow　Rosie；〃　I　said。
　〃Looks　like　Rosie　is　going　into　that　mound；〃　he　said。　〃You　mean　we　follow　her　there？〃
　〃Yes；〃　I　said。
　At　Mae's　suggestion；　we　walked　the　rest　of　the　way。　Lugging　our　backpacks；　it　took　us　the　better　part　of　ten　minutes　to　reach　the　vicinity　of　the　mound。　We　paused　about　fifty　feet　away。　There　was　a　nauseating　smell　in　the　air；　a　putrid　odor　of　rotting　and　decay。　It　was　so　strong　it　made　my　stomach　turn。　Then　too；　a　faint　green　glow　seemed　to　be　emanating　from　inside　the　mound。
　Bobby　whispered；　〃You　really　want　to　go　in　there？〃
　〃Not　yet；〃　Mae　whispered。　She　pointed　off　to　one　side。　Rosie's　body　was　moving　up　the　slope　of　the　mound。　As　she　came　to　the　rim；　her　rigid　legs　pointed　into　the　air　for　a　moment。　Then　her　body　toppled　over；　and　she　fell　into　the　interior。　But　she　stopped　before　she　disappeared　entirely；　for　several　seconds；　her　head　remained　above　the　rim；　her　arm　outstretched；　as　if　she　were　reaching　for　air。　Then；　slowly；　she　slid　the　rest　of　the　way　down；　and　vanished。　Bobby　shivered。
　Mae　whispered；　〃Okay。　Let's　go。〃
　She　started　forward　in　her　usual　noiseless　way。　Following　her；　I　tried　to　be　as　quiet　as　I　could。　Bobby　crunched　and　crackled　his　way　along　the　ground。　Mae　paused；　and　gave　him　a　hard　look。
　Bobby　held　up　his　hands　as　if　to　say；　what　can　I　do？
　She　whispered；　〃Watch　where　you　put　your　feet。〃
　He　whispered；　〃I　am。〃
　〃You're　not。〃
　〃It's　dark；　I　can't　see。〃
　〃You　can　if　you　try。〃
　I　couldn't　recall　ever　seeing　Mae　show　irritation　before；　but　we　were　all　under　pressure　now。　And　the　stench　was　terrible。　Mae　turned　and　once　again　moved　forward　silently。　Bobby　followed；　making　just　as　much　noise　as　before。　We　had　only　gone　a　few　steps　before　Mae　turned；　held　up　her　hand；　and　signaled　for　him　to　stay　where　he　was。　He　shook　his　head；　no。　He　clearly　didn't　want　to　be　left　alone。
　She　gripped　his　shoulder；　pointed　firmly　to　the　ground；　and　whispered；　〃You　stay　here。〃
　〃No　。。。〃
　She　whispered；　〃You'll　get　us　all　killed。〃
　He　whispered；　〃I　promise。〃
　She　shook　her　head；　pointed　to　the　ground。　Sit。
　Finally；　Bobby　sat　down。
　Mae　looked　at　me。　I　nodded。　We　set　out　again。　By　now　we　were　twenty　feet　from　the　mound　itself。　The　smell　was　almost　overpowering。　My　stomach　churned；　I　was　afraid　I　might　be　sick。　And　this　close；　we　began　to　hear　the　deep　thrumming　sound。　More　than　anything　it　was　that　sound　that　made　me　want　to　run　away。　But　Mae　kept　going。
　We　crouched　down　as　we　climbed　the　mound；　and　then　lay　flat　along　the　rim。　I　could　see　Mae's　face　in　the　green　glow　ing　from　inside。　For　some　reason　the　stench　didn't　bother　me　anymore。　Probably　because　I　was　too　frightened。
　Mae　reached　into　the　side　pouch　of　her　pack；　and　withdrew　a　small　thumb…sized　camera　on　a　thin　telescoping　stick。　She　brought　out　a　tiny　LCD　screen　and　set　it　on　the　ground　between　us。　Then　she　slid　the　stick　over　the　rim。
　On　the　screen；　we　saw　a　green　interior　of　smooth　undulating　walls。　Nothing　seemed　to　be　moving。　She　turned　the　camera　this　way　and　that。　All　we　saw　were　green　walls。　There　was　no　sign　of　Rosie。
　Mae　looked　at　me；　pointed　to　her　eyes。　Want　to　take　a　look　now？
　I　nodded。
　We　inched　forward　slowly；　until　we　could　look　over　the　rim。
　It　wasn't　what　I　expected　at　all。
　The　mound　simply　narrowed　an　existing　opening　that　was　huge…twenty　feet　wide　or　more；　revealing　a　rock　slide　that　sloped　downward　from　the　rim　and　ended　at　a　gaping　hole　in　the　rock　to　our　right。　The　green　light　was　ing　from　somewhere　inside　this　gaping　hole。　What　I　was　seeing　was　the　entrance　to　a　very　large　cave。　From　our　position　on　the　rim；　we　couldn't　see　into　the　cave　itself；　but　the　thrumming　sound　suggested　activity　within。　Mae　opened　the　telescoping　stick　to　its　full　length；　and　gently　lowered　the　camera　into　the　hole。　Soon　we　could　see　farther　into　the　cave。　It　was　undoubtedly　natural；　and　large：　perhaps　eight　feet　high；　ten　feet　wide。　The　rock　walls　were　pale　white；　and　appeared　to　be　covered　with　the　milky　substance　we'd　seen　on　Rosie。
　And　Rosie's　body　was　only　a　short　distance　inside。　We　could　see　her　hand　sticking　out　around　a　bend　in　the　rock　wall。　But　we　could　see　nothing　beyond　the　bend。　Mae　signaled　me：　want　to　go　down？
　I　nodded　slowly。　I　didn't　like　how　this　felt；　I　didn't　like　that　I　had　no　idea　what　was　beyond　the　bend。　But　we　really　had　no　choice。
　She　pointed　back　toward　Bobby。　Get　him？
　I　shook　my　head；　no。　He　wouldn't　help　us　here。
　She　nodded；　and　started　very　slowly　to　slide　out　of　her　backpack；　making　no　sound　at　all；　when　she　suddenly　froze。　Literally　froze：　she　didn't　move　a　muscle。　I　looked　at　the　screen。　And　I　froze；　too。
　A　figure　had　walked　from　behind　the　bend；　and　now　stood　alertly　at　the　entrance　of　the　cave；　looking　around。
　It　was　Ricky。
　*　*　*
　He　was　behaving　as　if　he　had　heard　a　sound；　or　had　been　alerted　for　some　other　reason。　The　video　camera　still　dangled　down　the　rim　of　the　mound。　It　was　pretty　small；　I　didn't　know　if　he　would　see　it。
　I　watched　the　screen　tensely。
　The　camera　didn't　have　good　resolution　and　the　screen　was　the　size　of　my　palm；　but　it　was　still　clear　that　the　figure　was　Ricky。　I　didn't　understand　what　he　was　doing　here…or　even　how　he　had　gotten　here。　Then　another　man　came　around　the　bend。
　He　was　also　Ricky。
　I　glanced　at　Mae；　but　she　remained　utterly　still；　a　statue。　Only　her　eyes　moved。　I　squinted　at　the　screen。　Within　the　limits　of　video　resolution；　the　two　figures　appeared　to　be　identical　in　every　respect。　Same　clothes；　same　movements；　same　gestures　and　shrugs。　I　couldn't　see　the　faces　well；　but　I　had　the　impression　they　were　more　detailed　than　before。　They　didn't　seem　to　notice　the　camera。
　They　looked　up　at　the　sky；　and　then　at　the　rock　slide　for　a　while；　and　then　they　turned　their　backs　on　us；　and　returned　to　the　interior　of　the　cave。
　Still　Mae　did　not　move。　She　had　been　motionless　for　almost　a　minute　already　and　in　that　time　she　hadn't　even　blinked。　Now　the　men　were　gone；　and…
　Another　figure　came　around　the　corner。　It　was　David　Brooks。　He　moved　awkwardly；　stiffly　at　first；　but　he　quickly　became　more　fluid。　I　had　the　feeling　I　was　watching　a　puppeteer　perfect　his　moves；　animating　the　figure　in　a　more　lifelike　way。　Then　David　became　Ricky。　And　then　David　again。　And　the　David　figure　turned　and　went　away。
　Still　Mae　waited。　She　waited　fully　two　more　minutes；　and　then　finally　withdrew　the　camera。　She　jerked　her　thumb；　indicating　we　should　go　back。　Together；　we　crept　away　from　the　rim；　back　down　the　mound；　and　moved　away　silently　into　the　desert　night。　We　gathered　a　hundred　yards　to　the　west；　near　our　vehicles。　Mae　was　rummaging　in　her　backpack；　she　pulled　out　a　clipboard　with　a　felt　marker。　She　flicked　on　her　penlight　and　began　to　draw。
　〃This　is　what　you're　up　against；〃　she　said。　〃The　cave　has　an　opening　like　this；　which　you　saw。　Past　the　bend；　there's　a　big　hole　in　the　floor；　and　the　cave　spirals　downward　for　maybe　a　hundred　yards。　That　brings　you　into　one　large　chamber　that　is　maybe　a　hundred　feet　high；　and　a　couple　of　hundred　feet　wide。　Single　big　room；　that's　all。　There　are　no　passages　leading　off；　at　least　none　that　I　saw。〃
　〃That　you