mc.prey-第69章

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…which　meant　she　had　to　believe　in　a　different　plan。　I　said；　〃Mae；　we　have　to　distract　them；　to　fool　them。　I　want　you　to　release　the　virus　into　the　assembly　line。　Let　them　focus　on　that。　Let　them　worry　about　that。　Meanwhile；　I'll　take　some　virus　up　to　the　maintenance　area　beneath　the　roof；　and　dump　it　into　the　sprinkler　reservoir。〃
　〃And　then　set　the　sprinklers　off？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　She　nodded。　〃And　they'll　be　soaked　in　virus。　Everybody　in　this　facility。　Drenched。〃
　〃Right。〃
　She　said；　〃It　just　might　work；　Jack。〃
　〃I　can't　think　of　anything　better；〃　I　said。　〃Now　open　one　of　those　valves；　and　let's　draw　off　some　test　tubes　of　virus。　And　I　want　you　to　put　some　virus　into　that　gallon　jug　over　there。〃　She　hesitated。　〃The　valve　is　on　the　other　side　of　the　tank。　The　security　camera　will　see　us。〃
　〃That's　okay；〃　I　said。　〃It　can't　be　helped　now。　You　just　have　to　buy　me　a　little　time。〃
　〃And　how　do　I　do　that？〃
　I　told　her。　She　made　a　face。　〃You're　kidding！　They'll　never　do　that！〃
　〃Of　course　not。　I　just　need　a　little　time。〃
　*　*　*
　We　went　around　the　tank。　She　filled　the　test　tubes。　The　liquid　that　came　out　was　a　thick　brown　slop。　It　smelled　fecal。　It　looked　fecal。　Mae　said　to　me；　〃Are　you　sure　about　this？〃
　〃Got　to　do　it；〃　I　said。　〃There's　no　choice。〃
　〃You　first。〃
　I　picked　up　the　test　tube；　took　a　breath；　and　swallowed　it　whole。　It　was　disgusting。　My　stomach　heaved。　I　thought　I　would　vomit；　but　I　didn't。　I　took　another　breath；　swallowed　some　water　from　the　gallon　jug；　and　looked　at　Mae。
　〃Awful；　huh？〃　she　said。
　〃Awful。〃
　She　picked　up　a　test　tube；　held　her　nose；　and　swallowed。　I　waited　through　her　coughing　fit。　She　managed　not　to　vomit。　I　gave　her　the　gallon　jug；　she　drank；　and　poured　the　rest　out　onto　the　floor。　Then　she　filled　it　with　brown　slop。
　The　last　thing　she　did　was　twist　the　handle　of　a　big　flow　valve。　〃There；〃　she　said。　〃It's　going　into　the　system　now。〃
　〃Okay；〃　I　said。　I　took　two　test　tubes　and　stuck　them　in　my　shirt　pocket。　I　took　the　gallon　jug。　It　said　ARROWHEAD　PURE　WATER　on　the　label。　〃See　you　later。〃　And　I　hurried　off。　As　I　went　down　the　hallway；　I　figured　there　was　one　chance　in　a　hundred　that　I　would　succeed。　Maybe　only　one　chance　in　a　thousand。
　But　I　had　a　chance。
　Later　on；　I　watched　the　entire　scene　on　the　security　camera；　so　I　knew　what　happened　to　Mae。　She　walked　into　the　kitchen；　carrying　her　rack　of　brown　test　tubes。　The　others　were　all　there；　eating。　Julia　gave　her　a　frosty　look。　Vince　ignored　her。　Ricky　said；　〃What've　you　got　there；　Mae？〃
　〃Phage；〃　she　said。
　〃What　for？〃
　Now　Julia　looked　over。　Mae　said；　〃It's　from　the　fermentation　tank。〃
　〃Ew；　no　wonder　it　stinks。〃
　〃Jack　just　drank　one。　He　made　me　drink　one。〃
　Ricky　snorted。　〃What'd　you　do　that　for？　Jeez；　I'm　surprised　you　didn't　puke。〃
　〃I　almost　did。　Jack　wants　all　of　you　to　drink　one；　too。〃
　Bobby　laughed。　〃Yeah？　What　for？〃
　〃To　make　sure　none　of　you　is　infected。〃
　Ricky　frowned。　〃Infected？　What　do　you　mean；　infected？〃
　〃Jack　says　that　Charley　was　harboring　the　swarm　inside　his　body；　so　maybe　the　rest　of　us　are；　too。　Or　some　of　us。　So　you　drink　this　virus；　and　it'll　kill　the　bacteria　inside　you；　and　kill　the　swarm。〃
　Bobby　said；　〃Are　you　serious？　Drink　that　crap？　No　way；　Mae！〃
　She　turned　to　Vince。
　〃Smells　like　shit　to　me；〃　Vince　said。　〃Let　someone　else　try　it　first。〃
　Mae　said；　〃Ricky？　You　want　to　be　the　first？〃
　Ricky　shook　his　head。　〃I'm　not　drinking　that。　Why　should　I？〃
　〃Well；　for　one　thing；　you'd　be　assured　you　weren't　infected。　And　for　another；　we　would　be　assured；　too。〃
　〃What　do　you　mean；　it's　a　test？〃
　Mae　shrugged。　〃That's　what　Jack　thinks。〃
　Julia　frowned。　She　turned　to　Mae。　〃Where　is　Jack　now？〃　she　said。　〃I　don't　know。　The　last　time　I　saw　him　was　by　the　fermentation　chambers。　I　don't　know　where　he　is　now。〃
　〃Yes；　you　do；〃　Julia　said　coldly。　〃You　know　exactly　where　he　is。〃
　〃I　don't。　He　didn't　tell　me。〃
　〃He　did　tell　you。　He　tells　you　everything；〃　Julia　said。　〃In　fact；　you　and　he　planned　this　little　interlude；　didn't　you？　You　couldn't　seriously　expect　us　to　drink　that　stuff。　Where　is　Jack；　Mae？〃
　〃I　told　you；　I　don't　know。〃
　Julia　said　to　Bobby；　〃Check　the　monitors。　Find　him。〃　She　came　around　the　table。　〃Now　then；　Mae。〃　Her　voice　was　calm；　but　full　of　menace。　〃I　want　you　to　answer　me。　And　I　want　you　to　tell　me　the　truth。〃
　Mae　backed　away　from　her。　Ricky　and　Vince　were　closing　in　on　either　side　of　her。　Mae　backed　against　the　wall。
　Julia　advanced　slowly。　〃Tell　me　now；　Mae；〃　she　said。　〃It　will　be　much　better　for　you　if　you　cooperate。〃
　From　the　other　side　of　the　room；　Bobby　said；　〃I　found　him。　He's　going　through　the　fab　room。　He's　carrying　a　jug　of　the　crap；　looks　like。〃
　〃Tell　me；　Mae；〃　Julia　said；　leaning　close　to　Mae。　She　was　so　close　their　lips　were　almost　touching。　Mae　squeezed　her　eyes　and　her　lips　tightly　shut。　Her　body　was　beginning　to　shake　with　fear。　Julia　caressed　her　hair。　〃Don't　be　afraid。　There's　nothing　to　be　afraid　of。　Just　tell　me　what　he　is　doing　with　that　jug；〃　Julia　said。
　Mae　began　to　sob　hysterically。　〃I　knew　it　wouldn't　work。　I　told　him　you　would　find　out。〃
　〃Of　course　we　would；〃　Julia　said　quietly。　〃Of　course　we　would　find　out。　Just　tell　now。〃
　〃He　took　the　jug　of　virus；〃　Mae　said；　〃and　he's　putting　it　in　the　water　sprinklers。〃
　〃Is　he？〃　Julia　said。　〃That's　really　very　clever　of　him。　Thank　you；　sweetie。〃　And　she　kissed　Mae　on　the　mouth。　Mae　squirmed；　but　her　back　was　against　the　wall；　and　Julia　held　her　head。　When　Julia　finally　stepped　back；　she　said；　〃Try　and　stay　calm。　Just　remember。　It　won't　hurt　you　if　you　don't　fight　against　it。〃
　And　she　walked　out　of　the　room。
　　
　DAY　7　
　6：12　A。M。
　Things　happened　faster　than　I　expected。　I　could　hear　them　running　toward　me　down　the　corridor。　I　hastily　hid　the　jug；　then　ran　back　and　continued　crossing　the　fabrication　room。　That　was　when　they　all　came　after　me。　I　started　to　run。　Vince　tackled　me；　and　I　hit　the　concrete　floor　hard。　Ricky　threw　himself　on　top　of　me　after　I　was　down。　He　knocked　the　wind　out　of　me。　Then　Vince　kicked　me　in　the　ribs　a　couple　of　times；　and　together　they　dragged　me　to　my　feet　to　face　Julia。
　〃Hi；　Jack；〃　she　said；　smiling。　〃How's　it　going？〃
　〃It's　been　better。〃
　〃We've　had　a　nice　talk　with　Mae；〃　Julia　said。　〃So　there's　no　point　in　beating　around　the　bush。〃　She　looked　around　the　floor　nearby。　〃Where　is　the　jug？〃
　〃What　jug？〃
　〃Jack。〃　She　shook　her　head　sadly。　〃Why　do　you　bother？　Where　is　the　jug　of　phage　you　were　going　to　put　in　the　sprinkler　system？〃
　〃I　don't　have　any　jug。〃
　She　stepped　close　to　me。　I　could　feel　her　breath　on　my　face。　〃Jack　。。。　I　know　that　look　on　your　face；　Jack。　You　have　a　plan；　don't　you？　Now　tell　me　where　the　jug　is。〃
　〃What　jug？〃
　Her　lips　brushed　mine。　I　just　stood　there；　still　as　a　statue。　〃Jack　darling；〃　she　whispered；　〃you　know　better　than　to　play　with　dangerous　things。　I　want　the　jug。〃　I　stood　there。
　〃Jack　。。。　just　one　kiss　。。。〃　She　was　close；　seductive。
　Ricky　said；　〃Forget　it；　Julia。　He's　not　afraid　of　you。　He　drank　the　virus　and　he　thinks　it'll　protect　him。〃
　〃Will　it？〃　Julia　said；　stepping　back。
　〃Maybe；〃　Ricky　said；　〃but　I　bet　he's　afraid　to　die。〃
　And　then　he　and　Vince　began　dragging　me　across　the　fabrication　room。　They　were　taking　me　to　the　high　mag　field　room。　I　began　to　struggle。
　〃That's　right；〃　Ricky　said。　〃You　know　what's　ing；　don't　you？〃　This　was　not　in　my　plan。　I　hadn't　expected　it；　I　didn't　know　what　I　could　do　now。　I　struggled　harder；　kicking　and　twisting；　but　they　were　both　immensely　strong。　They　just　dragged　me　forward。　Julia　opened　the　heavy　steel　door　to　the　mag　room。　Inside；　I　saw　the　circular　drum　of　the　magnet；　six　feet　in　diameter。
　They　shoved　me　in　roughly。　I　sprawled　on　the　ground　in　the　room。　My　head　banged　against　the　steel　shielding。　I　heard　the　door　click　and　lock。
　I　got　to　my　feet。
　I　heard　the　rumble　of　the　cooling　pumps　as　they　started　up。　The　inter　clicked。　I　heard　Ricky's　voice。　〃Ever　wonder　why　these　walls　are　made　out　of　steel；　Jack？　Pulsed　magnets　are　dangerous。　Run　them　continuously；　and　they　blow　apart。　Get　ripped　apart　by　the　field　they　generate。　We　got　a　one…minute　load　time。　So　you've　got　one　minute　to　think　it　over。〃　I　had　been　in　this