mc.prey-第70章

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erate。　We　got　a　one…minute　load　time。　So　you've　got　one　minute　to　think　it　over。〃　I　had　been　in　this　room　before；　when　Ricky　showed　me　around。　I　remembered　there　was　a　knee　plate；　a　safety　cutoff。　I　hit　it　with　my　knee。
　〃Won't　work；　Jack；〃　Ricky　said　laconically。　〃I　inverted　the　switching。　Now　it　turns　the　magnet　on；　instead　of　off。　Thought　you'd　like　to　know。〃
　The　rumbling　was　louder。　The　room　began　to　vibrate　slightly。　The　air　grew　swiftly　colder。　In　a　moment　I　could　see　my　breath。
　〃Sorry　if　you're　unfortable；　but　that's　only　temporary；〃　Ricky　said。　〃Once　the　pulses　get　going；　the　room'll　heat　up　fast。　Uh；　let's　see。　Forty…seven　seconds。〃　The　sound　was　a　rapid　chunk…chunk…chunk；　like　a　muffled　jackhammer。　It　was　loud；　and　getting　louder。　I　could　hardly　hear　Ricky　over　the　inter。　〃Now　Jack；〃　he　said。　〃You　have　a　family。　A　family　that　needs　you。　So　think　about　your　choices　very　carefully。〃
　I　said；　〃Let　me　speak　to　Julia。〃
　〃No；　Jack。　She　doesn't　want　to　talk　to　you　right　now。　She's　very　disappointed　in　you；　Jack。〃
　〃Let　me　speak　to　her。〃
　〃Jack；　aren't　you　listening　to　me？　She　says　no。　Not　until　you　tell　her　where　the　virus　is。〃　Chunk…chunk…chunk。　The　room　was　starting　to　get　warmer。　I　could　hear　the　gurgle　of　the　coolant　as　it　went　through　the　piping。　I　kicked　the　safety　plate　with　my　knee。　〃I　told　you；　Jack。　It'll　only　turn　the　magnet　on。　Are　you　having　trouble　hearing　me？〃
　〃Yes；〃　I　yelled。　〃I　am。〃
　〃Well　that's　too　bad；〃　Ricky　said。　〃I'm　sorry　to　hear　that。〃　At　least；　I　thought　that's　what　he　was　saying。　The　chunk…chunk…chunk　seemed　to　fill　the　room；　to　make　the　very　air　vibrate。　It　sounded　like　an　enormous　MRI；　those　giant　pumps。　My　head　hurt。　I　stared　at　the　magnet；　at　the　heavy　bolts　that　held　the　plates　together。　Those　bolts　would　soon　bee　missiles。
　〃We're　not　fucking　around；　Jack；〃　Ricky　said。　〃We'd　hate　to　lose　you。　Twenty　seconds。〃　The　load　time　was　the　time　it　took　to　charge　the　magnet　capacitors；　so　that　millisecond　pulses　of　electricity　could　be　delivered。　I　wondered　how　long　after　loading　it　would　take　for　the　pulses　to　blow　the　magnet　apart。　Probably　a　few　seconds　at　most。　So　time　was　running　out　for　me。　I　didn't　know　what　to　do。　Everything　had　gone　horribly　wrong。　And　the　worst　part　was　that　I　had　lost　the　only　advantage　I　ever　had；　because　they　now　recognized　the　importance　of　the　virus。　Earlier　they　hadn't　focused　on　it　as　a　threat。　But　now　they　understood；　and　were　demanding　I　hand　it　over。　Soon　they　would　think　to　destroy　the　fermentation　tank。　They　would　eradicate　the　virus　very　thoroughly；　I　felt　sure。
　And　there　was　nothing　I　could　do　about　it。　Not　now。
　I　wondered　how　Mae　was；　and　whether　they　had　hurt　her。　I　wondered　if　she　was　still　alive。　I　felt　detached；　indifferent。　I　was　sitting　in　an　oversized　MRI；　that　was　all。　This　big　terrifying　sound；　it　must　have　been　how　Amanda　felt；　when　she　was　in　the　MRI　。。。　My　mind　drifted；　uncaring。
　〃Ten　seconds；〃　Ricky　said。　〃e　on；　Jack。　Don't　be　a　hero。　It's　not　your　style。　Tell　us　where　it　is。　Six　seconds。　Five。　Jack；　e　on　。。。〃
　The　chunk…chunk…chunk　stopped；　and　there　was　a　whang！　and　a　scream　of　rending　metal。　The　magnet　had　switched　on；　for　a　few　milliseconds。
　〃First　pulse；〃　Ricky　said。　〃Don't　be　an　asshole；　Jack。〃
　Another　whang！　Whang！　Whang！　The　pulses　were　ing　faster　and　faster。　I　saw　the　jacketing　on　the　coolant　beginning　to　indent　with　each　pulse。　They　were　ing　too　fast。　Whang！　Whang！
　I　couldn't　take　it　anymore。　I　shouted；　〃Okay！　Ricky！　I'll　tell　you！〃
　Whang！　〃Go　ahead；　Jack！〃　Whang！　〃I'm　waiting。〃
　〃No！　Turn　it　off　first。　And　I　only　tell　Julia。〃
　Whang！　Whang！　〃Very　unreasonable　of　you；　Jack。　You're　in　no　position　to　bargain。〃　Whang！
　〃You　want　the　virus；　or　you　want　it　to　be　a　surprise？〃
　Whang！　Whang！　Whang！
　And　then　abruptly；　silence。　Nothing　but　the　low　swoosh　of　the　coolant　flowing　through　the　jacketing。　The　magnet　was　hot　to　the　touch。　But　at　least　the　MRI　sound　had　stopped。　The　MRI　。。。
　I　stood　in　the　room；　and　waited　for　Julia　to　e　in。　And　then；　thinking　it　over；　I　sat　down。
　I　heard　the　door　unlock。　Julia　walked　in。
　〃Jack。　You're　not　hurt；　are　you？〃
　〃No；〃　I　said。　〃Just　my　nerves　are　shot。〃
　〃I　don't　know　why　you　put　yourself　through　it；〃　she　said。　〃It　was　totally　unnecessary。　But　guess　what？　I　have　good　news。　The　helicopter　just　arrived。〃
　〃It　did？〃
　〃Yes；　it's　early　today。　Just　think；　wouldn't　it　be　nice　to　be　on　it　now；　going　home？　Back　to　your　house；　back　to　your　family？　Wouldn't　that　feel　great？〃
　I　sat　there　with　my　back　against　the　wall；　looking　up　at　her。　〃Are　you　saying　I　can　go？〃
　〃Of　course；　Jack。　There's　no　reason　for　you　to　stay　here。　Just　give　me　the　bottle　of　virus；　and　go　home。〃
　I　didn't　believe　her　for　a　second。　I　was　seeing　the　friendly　Julia；　the　seductive　Julia。　But　I　didn't　believe　her。　〃Where　is　Mae？〃
　〃She's　resting。〃
　〃You've　hurt　her。〃
　〃No。　No；　no；　no。　Why　would　I　do　that？〃　She　shook　her　head。　〃You　really　don't　understand；　do　you？　I　don't　want　to　hurt　anybody；　Jack。　Not　you；　not　Mae；　not　anybody。　I　especially　don't　want　to　hurt　you。〃
　〃Try　telling　that　to　Ricky。〃
　〃Jack。　Please。　Let's　put　emotion　aside　and　be　logical　for　a　moment。　You're　doing　all　this　to　yourself。　Why　can't　you　accept　the　new　situation？〃　She　held　out　her　hand　to　me。　I　took　it；　and　she　pulled　me　up。　She　was　strong。　Stronger　than　I　ever　remembered　her　being。　〃After　all；〃　she　said；　〃you're　an　integral　part　of　this。　You　killed　the　wild　type　for　us；　Jack。〃
　〃So　the　benign　type　could　flourish　。。。〃
　〃Exactly；　Jack。　So　the　benign　type　could　flourish。　And　create　a　new　synergy　with　human　beings。〃
　〃The　synergy　that　you　have　now；　for　example。〃
　〃That's　right；　Jack。〃　She　smiled。　It　was　a　creepy　smile。
　〃You　are；　what？　Coexisting？　Coevolving？〃
　〃Symbiotic。〃　She　was　still　smiling。
　〃Julia；　this　is　all　bullshit；〃　I　said。　〃This　is　a　disease。〃
　〃Well　of　course　you　would　say　that。　Because　you　don't　know　any　better；　yet。　You　haven't　experienced　it。〃　She　came　forward　and　hugged　me。　I　let　her　do　it。　〃You　have　no　idea　what's　ahead　of　you。〃
　〃Story　of　my　life；〃　I　said。
　〃Stop　being　so　stubborn；　for　once。　Just　go　along　with　it。　You　look　tired；　Jack。〃　I　sighed。　〃I　am　tired；〃　I　said。　And　I　was。　I　was　feeling　distinctly　weak　in　her　arms。　I　was　sure　she　could　sense　it。
　〃Then　why　don't　you　just　relax。　Embrace　me；　Jack。〃
　〃I　don't　know。　Maybe　you're　right。〃
　〃Yes；　I　am。〃　She　smiled　again；　ruffled　my　hair　with　her　hand。　〃Oh；　Jack　。。。　I　really　have　missed　you。〃
　〃Me　too；〃　I　said。　〃I　missed　you。〃　I　gave　her　a　hug；　squeezed　her；　held　her　close。　Our　faces　were　close。　She　looked　beautiful；　her　lips　parted；　her　eyes　staring　up　at　me；　soft；　inviting。　I　felt　her　relax。　Then　I　said；　〃Just　tell　me　one　thing；　Julia。　It's　been　bothering　me。〃
　〃Sure；　Jack。〃
　〃Why　did　you　refuse　to　have　an　MRI　in　the　hospital？〃
　She　frowned；　leaned　back　to　look　at　me。　〃What？　What　do　you　mean？〃
　〃Are　you　like　Amanda？〃
　〃Amanda？〃
　〃Our　baby　daughter　。。。　you　remember　her。　She　was　cured　by　the　MRI。　Instantly。〃
　〃What　are　you　talking　about？〃
　〃Julia；　does　the　swarm　have　some　problem　with　magnetic　fields？〃
　Her　eyes　widened。　She　began　to　struggle　in　my　grip。　〃Let　go　of　me！　Ricky！　Ricky！〃
　〃Sorry；　hon；〃　I　said。　I　kicked　the　plate　with　my　knee。　And　there　was　a　loud　whang！　as　the　magnet　pulsed。
　Julia　screamed。
　Her　mouth　was　open　as　she　screamed；　a　steady　continuous　sound；　her　face　rigid　with　tension。　I　held　her　hard。　The　skin　of　her　face　began　to　shiver；　vibrating　rapidly。　And　then　her　features　seemed　to　grow；　to　swell　as　she　screamed。　I　thought　her　eyes　looked　frightened。　The　swelling　continued；　and　began　to　break　up　into　rivulets；　and　streams。　And　then　in　a　sudden　rush　Julia　literally　disintegrated　before　my　eyes。　The　skin　of　her　swollen　face　and　body　blew　away　from　her　in　streams　of　particles；　like　sand　blown　off　a　sand　dune。　The　particles　curved　away　in　the　arc　of　the　magnetic　field　toward　the　sides　of　the　room。　I　felt　her　body　growing　lighter　and　lighter　in　my　arms。　Still　the　particles　continued　to　flow　away；　with　a　kind　of　whooshing　sound；　to　all　corners　of　the　room。　And　when　it　was　finished；　what　was　left　behind…what　I　still　held　in　my　arms…was　a　pale　and　cadaverous　form。　Julia's　eye