mc.prey-第61章

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　〃Or　collect　them；〃　Mae　said　dryly。
　〃Yeah。　Maybe。〃　It　wasn't　inconceivable。　Ants　raised　aphids　the　way　we　raised　cows。　Other　insects　grew　fungus　in　gardens　for　food。
　We　moved　deeper　into　the　room。　The　swarms　swirled　on　all　sides　of　us；　but　they　kept　their　distance。　Probably　another　unprecedented　event；　I　thought：　intruders　in　the　nest。　They　hadn't　decided　what　to　do。　I　moved　carefully；　the　floor　was　now　increasingly　slippery　in　spots。　There　was　a　kind　of　thick　muck　on　the　ground。　In　a　few　places　it　glowed　streaky　green。　The　streaks　seemed　to　go　inward；　toward　the　center。　I　had　the　sense　that　the　floor　sloped　gently　downward。　〃How　much　farther？〃　Mae　said。　She　still　sounded　calm；　but　I　didn't　think　she　was。　I　wasn't　either；　when　I　looked　back　I　could　no　longer　see　the　entrance　to　the　chamber；　hidden　behind　the　clusters。
　And　then　suddenly　we　reached　the　center　of　the　room；　because　the　clusters　ended　in　an　open　space；　and　directly　ahead　I　saw　what　looked　like　a　miniature　version　of　the　mound　outside。　It　was　a　mound　about　four　feet　high；　perfectly　circular；　with　flat　vanes　extending　outward　on　all　sides。　It　too　was　streaked　with　green。　Pale　smoke　was　ing　off　the　vanes。　We　moved　closer。
　〃It's　hot；〃　she　said。　And　it　was。　The　heat　was　intense；　that's　why　it　was　smoking。　She　said；　〃What　do　you　think　is　in　there？〃
　I　looked　at　the　floor。　I　could　see　now　that　the　streaks　of　green　were　running　from　the　clusters　down　to　this　central　mound。　I　said；　〃Assemblers。〃　The　spiky　urchins　generated　raw　organic　material。　It　flowed　to　the　center；　where　the　assemblers　churned　out　the　final　molecules。　This　is　where　the　final　assembly　occurred。
　〃Then　this　is　the　heart；〃　Mae　said。
　〃Yeah。　You　could　say。〃
　The　swarms　were　all　around　us；　hanging　back　by　the　clusters。　Apparently；　they　wouldn't　e　into　the　center。　But　they　were　everywhere　around　us；　waiting　for　us。　〃How　many　you　want？〃　she　said　quietly；　taking　the　thermite　from　her　pack。
　I　looked　around　at　all　the　swarms。
　〃Five　here；〃　I　said。　〃We'll　need　the　rest　to　get　out。〃
　〃We　can't　light　five　at　once　。。。〃
　〃It's　all　right。〃　I　held　out　my　hand。　〃Give　them　to　me。〃
　〃But；　Jack　。。。〃
　〃e　on；　Mae。〃
　She　gave　me　five　capsules。　I　moved　closer　and　tossed　them；　unlit；　into　the　central　mound。　The　surrounding　swarms　buzzed；　but　still　did　not　approach　us。
　〃Okay；〃　she　said。　She　understood　immediately　what　I　was　doing。　She　was　already　taking　out　more　capsules。
　〃Now　four；〃　I　said；　looking　back　at　the　swarms。　They　were　restless；　moving　back　and　forth。　I　didn't　know　how　long　they　would　stay　there。　〃Three　for　you；　one　for　me。　You　do　the　swarms。〃
　〃Right　。。。〃　She　gave　me　one　capsule。　I　lit　the　others　for　her。　She　threw　them　back　in　the　direction　we　had　e。　The　swarms　danced　away。
　She　counted：　〃Three　。。。　two　。。。　one　。。。　now！〃
　We　crouched；　ducked　away　from　the　harsh　blast　of　light。　I　heard　a　cracking　sound；　when　I　looked　again；　some　of　the　clusters　were　breaking　up；　falling　apart。　Spikes　were　rolling　on　the　ground。　Without　hesitating；　I　lit　the　next　capsule；　and　as　it　spit　white　sparks；　I　tossed　it　into　the　central　mound。
　〃Let's　go！〃
　We　ran　for　the　entrance。　The　clusters　were　crumbling　in　front　of　us。　Mae　leapt　easily　over　the　falling　spikes；　and　kept　going。　I　followed　her；　counting　in　my　mind　。。。　three　。。。　two　。。。　one　。。。
　Now。
　There　was　a　kind　of　high…pitched　shriek；　and　then　a　terrific　blast　of　hot　gas；　a　booming　detonation　and　stabbing　pain　in　my　ears。　The　shock　wave　knocked　me　flat　on　the　ground；　sent　me　skidding　forward　in　the　sludge。　I　felt　the　spikes　sticking　in　my　skin　all　over　my　body。　My　goggles　were　knocked　away；　and　I　was　surrounded　by　blackness。　Blackness。　I　could　see　nothing　at　all。　I　wiped　the　sludge　from　my　face。　I　tried　to　get　to　my　feet；　slipped　and　fell。　〃Mae；〃　I　said。　〃Mae　。。。〃
　〃There　was　an　explosion；〃　she　said；　in　a　surprised　voice。
　〃Mae；　where　are　you？　I　can't　see。〃
　Everything　was　pitch　black。　I　could　see　nothing　at　all。　I　was　deep　in　some　damn　cave　full　of　spiky　things　and　I　couldn't　see。　I　fought　panic。
　〃It's　all　right；〃　Mae　said。　In　the　darkness　I　felt　her　hand　gripping　my　arm。　Apparently　she　could　see　me。　She　said；　〃The　flashlight's　on　your　belt。〃　She　guided　my　hand。　I　fumbled　in　the　darkness；　feeling　for　the　clip。　I　found　it；　but　I　couldn't　get　it　open。　It　was　a　spring　clip　and　my　fingers　kept　slipping　off。　I　began　to　hear　a　thrumming　sound；　low　at　first；　but　starting　to　build。　My　hands　were　sweating。　Finally　the　clip　opened；　and　I　flicked　the　flashlight　on　with　a　sigh　of　relief。　I　saw　Mae　in　the　cold　halogen　beam；　she　still　had　her　goggles；　and　looked　away。　I　swung　the　beam　around　the　cave。　It　had　been　transformed　by　the　explosion。　Many　of　the　clusters　had　broken　apart　and　the　spikes　were　all　over　the　floor。　Some　substance　on　the　floor　was　beginning　to　burn。　Acrid；　foul　smoke　was　billowing　up。　The　air　was　thick　and　dark。　。。。　I　stepped　backward；　and　felt　something　squishy。
　I　looked　down　and　saw　David　Brooks's　shirt。　Then　I　realized　I　was　standing　on　what　was　left　of　David's　torso；　which　had　turned　into　a　kind　of　whitish　jelly。　My　foot　was　right　in　his　abdomen。　His　rib　cage　scraped　against　my　shin；　leaving　a　white　streak　on　my　pants。　I　looked　back　and　saw　David's　face；　ghostly　white　and　eroded；　his　features　eaten　away　until　he　looked　as　featureless　as　the　faces　on　the　swarms。　I　felt　instant　nausea；　and　tasted　bile。　〃e　on；〃　Mae　said；　grabbing　my　arm；　squeezing　it　hard。　〃e　on；　Jack。〃　With　a　sucking　sound；　my　foot　pulled　free　of　the　body。　I　tried　to　scrape　my　shoe　on　the　floor；　to　get　clean　of　the　white　muck。　I　was　not　thinking　anymore；　I　was　just　fighting　nausea　and　an　overpowering　sense　of　horror。　I　wanted　to　run。　Mae　was　talking　to　me　but　I　didn't　hear　her。　I　saw　only　glimpses　of　the　room　around　me；　and　was　only　dimly　aware　that　the　swarms　were　emerging　all　around　us；　swarm　after　swarm　after　swarm。　They　were　buzzing　everywhere。　〃I　need　you；　Jack；〃　Mae　said；　holding　out　four　caps；　and　somehow；　fumbling　with　the　flashlight；　I　managed　to　light　them　and　she　flung　them　in　all　directions。　I　threw　my　hands　over　my　eyes　as　the　hot　spheres　exploded　around　me。　When　I　looked　again；　the　swarms　were　gone。　But　in　only　a　few　moments；　they　began　to　reemerge。　First　one　swarm；　then　three；　then　six；　then　ten…and　then　too　many　to　count。　They　were　converging；　with　an　angry　buzz；　toward　us。　〃How　many　caps　have　we　got　left？〃　I　said。
　〃Eight。〃
　I　knew　then　that　we　were　not　going　to　make　it。　We　were　too　deep　in　the　cave。　We　would　never　get　out。　I　had　no　idea　how　many　swarms　were　around　us…my　halogen　beam　swung　back　and　forth　across　what　seemed　like　an　army。
　〃Jack　。。。〃　Mae　said；　holding　out　her　hand。　She　never　seemed　to　lose　confidence。　I　lit　three　more　caps　and　Mae　threw　them；　retracing　her　steps　toward　the　entrance　as　she　did　so。　I　stayed　close　to　her；　but　I　knew　our　situation　was　hopeless。　Each　blast　scattered　the　swarms　for　just　a　moment。　Then　they　quickly　regrouped。　There　were　far　too　many　swarms。　〃Jack。〃　More　thermite　in　her　hands。
　Now　I　could　see　the　entrance　to　the　chamber；　just　a　few　yards　ahead。　My　eyes　were　watering　from　all　the　acrid　smoke。　My　halogen　light　was　just　a　narrow　beam　cutting　through　the　dust。　The　air　was　getting　thicker　and　thicker。
　A　final　series　of　white…hot　blasts；　and　we　came　to　the　entrance。　I　saw　the　ramp　leading　back　toward　the　surface。　I　never　thought　we'd　get　this　far。　But　I　wasn't　thinking　anymore；　everything　was　impressions。
　〃How　many　left？〃　I　said。
　Mae　didn't　answer　me。　I　heard　the　rumble　of　an　engine　from　somewhere　above　us。　Looking　up　I　saw　a　wobbling　white　light　in　the　cave　higher　up。　The　rumble　became　very　loud…I　heard　an　engine　gunned…and　then　I　saw　the　ATV　poised　on　the　ramp　above。　Bobby　was　up　there；　shouting　〃Get　outttttt！〃
　Mae　turned　and　ran　up　the　ramp；　and　I　scrambled　to　follow　her。　I　was　vaguely　aware　of　Bobby　lighting　something　that　burst　into　orange　flame；　and　then　Mae　pushed　me　against　the　wall　as　the　riderless　ATV　roared　down　the　ramp　toward　the　chamber　below；　with　a　flaming　cloth　hanging　from　its　gas　tank。　It　was　a　motorized　Molotov　cocktail。
　As　soon　as　it　passed；　Mae　shoved　me　hard　in　the　back。　〃Run！〃　I　sprinted　the　last　few　yards　up　the　ramp。　Bobby　was　reaching　down　for　us；　hau