mc.prey-第62章

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ching　down　for　us；　hauling　us　up　over　the　lip　to　the　level　above。　I　fell　and　scraped　my　knee　but　hardly　felt　it　as　he　dragged　me　onto　my　feet　again。　Then　I　was　running　hard　toward　the　cave　entrance　and　had　almost　reached　the　opening　when　a　fiery　blast　knocked　us　off　our　feet；　and　I　went　tumbling　through　the　air；　and　smashed　against　one　of　the　cave　walls。　I　got　to　my　feet；　head　ringing。　My　flashlight　was　gone。　I　heard　a　kind　of　strange　screaming　sound　from　somewhere　behind　me；　or　thought　I　did。　I　looked　at　Mae　and　Bobby。　They　were　getting　to　their　feet。　With　the　helicopter　still　thumping　above　us；　we　clambered　up　the　incline　and　collapsed　over　the　lip　of　the　mound；　and　tumbled　down　the　slopes；　out　into　the　cool；　black　desert　night。
　The　last　thing　I　saw　was　Mae　waving　the　helicopter　away；　gesturing　for　it　to　go；　go；　go…
　And　then　the　cave　exploded。
　The　ground　jumped　beneath　my　feet；　knocking　me　over。　I　fell　to　the　ground　just　as　the　shock　wave　caused　sharp　pain　in　my　ears。　I　heard　the　deep　rumble　of　the　explosion。　From　the　mouth　of　the　cave　an　enormous　angry　fireball　billowed　upward；　orange　laced　in　black。　I　felt　a　wave　of　heat　rolling　down　toward　me；　and　then　it　was　gone；　and　everything　was　suddenly　quiet；　and　the　world　around　me　was　black。
　How　long　I　lay　there　beneath　the　stars　I　am　not　sure。　I　must　have　lost　consciousness；　because　the　next　thing　I　remember　was　Bobby　pushing　me　up　into　the　backseat　of　the　helicopter。　Mae　was　already　inside；　and　she　leaned　over　to　buckle　me　in。　They　were　both　looking　at　me　with　expressions　of　concern。　I　wondered　dully　if　I　had　been　injured。　I　didn't　feel　any　pain。　The　door　slammed　beside　me；　and　Bobby　got　in　the　front　next　to　the　pilot。　We　had　done　it。　We　had　succeeded。
　I　could　hardly　believe　it　was　over。
　The　helicopter　rose　into　the　air　and　I　saw　the　lights　of　the　lab　in　the　distance。
　
　PREY
　
　　DAY　7　
　12：12　A。M。
　〃Jack。〃
　Julia　rushed　toward　me　as　I　came　down　the　corridor。　In　the　overhead　light　her　face　looked　beautiful　in　a　lean；　elegant　way。　She　was　in　truth　more　beautiful　than　I　remembered。　Her　ankle　was　bandaged　and　she　had　a　cast　on　her　wrist。　She　threw　her　arms　around　me　and　buried　her　head　in　my　shoulder。　Her　hair　smelled　of　lavender。　〃Oh；　Jack；　Jack。　Thank　God　you're　all　right。〃
　〃Yeah；〃　I　said　hoarsely。　〃I'm　okay。〃
　〃I'm　so　glad　。。。　so　glad。〃
　I　just　stood　there；　feeling　her　hug　me。　Then　I　hugged　her　back。　I　didn't　know　how　to　react。　She　was　so　energized；　but　I　was　exhausted；　flat。
　〃Are　you　all　right；　Jack？〃　she　said；　still　hugging　me。
　〃Yeah；　Julia。〃　I　said；　just　above　a　whisper。　〃I　am。〃
　〃What's　wrong　with　your　voice？〃　she　said；　pulling　back　to　look　at　me。　She　scanned　my　face。　〃What's　wrong？〃
　〃He　probably　burned　his　vocal　cords；〃　Mae　said。　She　was　hoarse；　too。　Her　face　was　blackened　with　soot。　She　had　a　cut　on　her　cheek；　and　another　on　her　forehead。　Julia　embraced　me　again；　her　fingers　touched　my　shirt。　〃Darling；　you're　hurt　。。。〃
　〃Just　my　shirt。〃
　〃Jack；　are　you　sure　you're　not　hurt？　I　think　you're　hurt　。。。〃
　〃No；　I'm　okay。〃　I　stepped　away　from　her　awkwardly。
　〃I　can't　tell　you；〃　she　said；　〃how　grateful　I　am　for　what　you　did　tonight；　Jack。　What　all　of　you　did；〃　she　added；　turning　to　the　others。　〃You；　Mae；　and　Bobby　too。　I'm　only　sorry　I　wasn't　here　to　help。　I　know　this　is　all　my　fault。　But　we're　very　grateful。　The　pany　is　grateful。〃　I　thought；　The　pany？　But　all　I　said　was；　〃Yeah；　well；　it　had　to　be　done。〃
　〃It　did；　yes；　it　certainly　did。　Quickly　and　decisively。　And　you　did　it；　Jack。　Thank　God。〃　Ricky　was　standing　in　the　background；　head　bobbing　up　and　down。　He　was　like　one　of　those　mechanical　birds　that　drinks　from　a　water　glass。　Bobbing　up　and　down。　I　felt　unreal；　as　if　I　was　in　a　play。
　〃I　think　we　should　all　have　a　drink　to　celebrate；〃　Julia　was　saying；　as　we　went　down　the　corridor。　〃There　must　be　some　champagne　around　here。　Ricky？　Is　there？　Yes？　I　want　to　celebrate　what　you　guys　have　done。〃
　〃I　just　want　to　sleep；〃　I　said。
　〃Oh；　e　on；　just　one　glass。〃
　It　was　typical　Julia；　I　thought。　Involved　in　her　own　world；　not　noticing　how　anyone　around　her　was　feeling。　The　last　thing　any　of　us　wanted　to　do　right　now　was　drink　champagne。　〃Thanks　anyway；〃　Mae　said；　shaking　her　head。
　〃Are　you　sure？　Really？　It'd　be　fun。　How　about　you；　Bobby？〃
　〃Maybe　tomorrow；〃　Bobby　said。
　〃Oh　well；　okay；　after　all；　you're　the　conquering　heroes！　We'll　do　it　tomorrow；　then。〃　I　noticed　how　fast　she　was　talking；　how　quick　her　body　movements　were。　I　remembered　Ellen's　ment　about　her　taking　drugs。　It　certainly　seemed　like　she　was　on　something。　But　I　was　so　tired　I　just　didn't　give　a　damn。
　〃I've　told　the　news　to　Larry　Handler；　the　head　of　the　pany；〃　she　said；　〃and　he's　very　grateful　to　you　all。〃
　〃That's　nice；〃　I　said。　〃Is　he　going　to　notify　the　Army？〃
　〃Notify　the　Army？　About　what？〃
　〃About　the　runaway　experiment。〃
　〃Well；　Jack；　that's　all　taken　care　of　now。　You've　taken　care　of　it。〃
　〃I'm　not　sure　we　have；〃　I　said。　〃Some　of　the　swarms　might　have　escaped。　Or　there　might　be　another　nest　out　there。　To　be　safe；　I　think　we　should　call　in　the　Army。〃　I　didn't　really　think　we　had　missed　anything；　but　I　wanted　to　get　outsiders　in　here。　I　was　tired。　I　wanted　somebody　else　to　take　over。
　〃The　Army？〃　Julia's　eyes　flicked　to　Ricky；　then　back　to　me。　〃Jack；　you're　absolutely　right；〃　she　said　firmly。　〃This　is　an　extremely　serious　situation。　If　there　is　the　slightest　chance　something　was　missed；　we　must　notify　them　at　once。〃
　〃I　mean　tonight。〃
　〃Yes；　I　agree；　Jack。　Tonight。　In　fact；　I'll　do　it　right　now。〃　I　glanced　back　at　Ricky。　He　was　walking　along；　still　nodding　in　that　mechanical　way。　I　didn't　get　it。　What　about　Ricky's　earlier　panic？　His　fear　that　the　experiment　would　be　made　public？　Now　it　seemed　he　didn't　care。
　Julia　said；　〃You　three　can　get　some　sleep；　and　I'll　call　my　contacts　at　the　Pentagon。〃
　〃I'll　go　with　you；〃　I　said。
　〃It's　really　not　necessary。〃
　〃I　want　to；〃　I　said。
　She　glanced　at　me　and　smiled。　〃You　don't　trust　me？〃
　〃It's　not　that；〃　I　said。　〃But　they　might　have　questions　I　could　answer　for　them。〃
　〃Okay；　fine。　Good　idea。　Excellent　idea。〃
　I　felt　sure　that　something　was　wrong。　I　felt　as　if　I　were　in　a　play；　and　everyone　was　acting　a　part。　Except　I　didn't　know　what　the　play　was。　I　glanced　over　at　Mae。　She　was　frowning　slightly。　She　must　have　sensed　it；　too。
　We　passed　through　the　airlocks　into　the　residential　unit。　Here　the　air　felt　unfortably　cold　to　me；　I　shivered。　We　went　into　the　kitchen　and　Julia　reached　for　the　phone。　〃Let's　make　that　call；　Jack；〃　she　said。
　I　went　to　the　refrigerator　and　got　a　ginger　ale。　Mae　had　an　iced　tea。　Bobby　had　a　beer。　We　were　all　thirsty。　I　noticed　a　bottle　of　champagne　sitting　in　the　fridge；　waiting。　I　touched　it；　it　was　cold。　There　were　six　glasses　in　there；　too；　being　chilled。　She'd　already　planned　the　party。　Julia　pushed　the　speakerphone　button。　We　heard　a　dial　tone。　She　punched　in　a　number。　But　the　call　didn't　go　through。　The　line　just　went　dead。
　〃Huh；〃　she　said。　〃Let's　try　that　again　。。。〃
　She　dialed　a　second　time。　Again；　the　call　failed　to　go　through。
　〃That's　funny。　Ricky；　I'm　not　getting　an　outside　line。〃
　〃Try　one　more　time；〃　Ricky　said。
　I　sipped　my　ginger　ale　and　watched　them。　There　was　no　question　that　this　was　all　an　act；　a　performance　for　our　benefit。　Julia　dutifully　dialed　a　third　time。　I　wondered　what　number　she　was　calling。　Or　did　she　know　the　number　for　the　Pentagon　by　heart？　〃Huh；〃　she　said。　〃Nothing。〃
　Ricky　picked　up　the　phone；　looked　at　the　base；　put　it　down　again。　〃Should　be　okay；〃　he　said；　acting　puzzled。
　〃Oh　for　Christ's　sake；〃　I　said。　〃Let　me　guess。　Something　has　happened　and　we　can't　dial　out。〃
　〃No；　no；　we　can；〃　Ricky　said。
　〃I　was　just　calling　a　few　minutes　ago；〃　Julia　said。　〃Just　before　you　got　back。〃
　Ricky　pushed　away　from　the　table。　〃I'll　check　the　m　lines。〃
　〃You　do　that；〃　I　said；　glowering。
　Julia　was　staring　at　me。　〃Jack；〃　she　said；　〃I'm　worried　about　you。〃
　〃Uh…huh。〃
　〃You're　angry。〃
　〃I'm　being　fucked　with。〃
　〃I　promise　you；〃　she　said　quietly；　meeting　my　eyes。　〃You're　not。〃　Mae　got　up　from　the　table；　saying　she　was　going　to　take　a　shower。　Bobby　wandered　into　the　lounge　to　play　a　video　game；　his　usual　w