mc.prey-第72章

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　up　and　free。　I　did；　and　stomped　down　on　his　hand　that　was　holding　on　to　the　rung。　He　yelled；　and　released　my　legs　to　hold　on　to　the　ladder　with　his　other　hand。　I　stomped　again…and　kicked　straight　back；　catching　him　right　under　the　chin。　He　slid　down　five　rungs；　then　caught　himself。　He　hung　there；　near　the　bottom　of　the　ladder。　I　climbed　again。
　Julia　was　running　across　the　floor。　〃Stop　him！〃
　I　heard　the　elevator　grind　as　Vince　rode　up　past　me；　heading　toward　the　top。　He　would　wait　for　me　there。
　I　climbed。
　I　was　fifteen　feet　above　the　floor；　then　twenty。　I　looked　down　to　see　Ricky　pursuing　me　but　he　was　far　behind；　I　didn't　think　he　could　catch　me；　and　then　Julia　came　swirling　up　through　the　air　toward　me；　spiraling　like　a　corkscrew…and　grabbed　the　ladder　right　alongside　me。　Except　she　wasn't　Julia；　she　was　the　swarm；　and　for　a　moment　the　swarm　was　disorganized　enough　that　I　could　see　right　through　her　in　places；　I　could　see　the　swirling　particles　that　posed　her。　I　looked　down　and　saw　the　real　Julia；　deathly　pale；　standing　and　looking　up　at　me；　her　face　a　skull。　By　now　the　swarm　alongside　me　became　solid…appearing；　as　I　had　seen　it　bee　solid　before。　It　looked　like　Julia。　The　mouth　moved　and　I　heard　a　strange　voice　say　〃Sorry；　Jack。〃　And　the　swarm　shrank；　being　denser　still；　collapsing　into　a　small　Julia；　about　four　feet　tall。
　I　turned　to　climb　again。
　The　small　Julia　swung　back；　and　slammed　hard　against　my　body。　I　felt　like　I　was　hit　by　a　sack　of　cement；　the　wind　knocked　out　of　me。　My　grip　loosened　from　the　ladder；　and　I　barely　managed　to　hang　on；　as　the　Julia　swarm　smashed　against　me　again。　I　ducked　and　dodged；　grunting　in　pain；　and　kept　going　despite　the　impacts。　The　swarm　had　enough　mass　to　hurt　me；　but　not　enough　to　knock　me　off　the　ladder。
　The　swarm　must　have　realized　it；　too；　because　now　the　small　Julia　swarm　pressed　itself　into　a　sphere；　and　slid　smoothly　forward　to　envelop　my　head　in　a　buzzing　cloud。　I　was　totally　blind。　I　could　see　nothing　at　all。　It　was　as　if　I　was　in　a　dust　storm。　I　groped　for　the　next　rung　on　the　ladder；　and　the　next　after　that。　Pinpricks　stung　my　face　and　hands；　the　pain　being　more　intense；　sharper。　Apparently　the　swarm　was　learning　how　to　focus　pain。　But　at　least　it　hadn't　learned　to　suffocate。　The　swarm　did　nothing　to　interfere　with　my　breathing。　I　kept　on。
　I　climbed　in　darkness。
　And　then　I　felt　Ricky　pulling　at　my　legs　again。　And　in　that　moment；　finally；　I　didn't　see　how　I　could　go　on。
　I　was　twenty…five　feet　in　the　air；　hanging　on　to　a　ladder　for　dear　life；　dragging　a　jug　of　brown　sludge　up　with　me；　with　Vince　above　waiting　and　Ricky　below　dragging；　and　a　swarm　buzzing　around　my　head；　blinding　me　and　stinging　me　like　hell。　I　was　exhausted　and　defeated　and　I　could　feel　my　energy　draining　away。　My　fingers　felt　shaky　on　the　rungs。　I　couldn't　hold　my　grip　much　longer。　I　knew　that　all　I　had　to　do　was　release　my　grip　and　fall；　and　it　would　be　over　in　an　instant。　I　was　finished；　anyway。
　I　felt　for　the　next　rung；　gripped　it；　and　hauled　my　body　up。　But　my　shoulders　burned。　Ricky　was　pulling　down　fiercely。　I　knew　he　would　win。　They　would　all　win。　They　were　always　going　to　win。　And　then　I　thought　of　Julia；　pale　as　a　ghost　and　brittle　thin；　saying　in　a　whisper　〃Save　my　babies。〃　I　thought　of　the　kids；　waiting　for　me　to　e　back。　I　saw　them　sitting　around　the　table　waiting　for　dinner。　And　I　knew　I　had　to　go　on　no　matter　what。　So　I　did。
　It's　not　clear　to　me　now　what　happened　to　Ricky。　Somehow　he　pulled　my　legs　off　the　rungs；　and　I　hung　in　the　air　from　my　arms；　kicking　wildly；　and　I　must　have　kicked　him　in　the　face　and　broken　his　nose。
　Because　in　an　instant　Ricky　let　go　of　me；　and　I　heard　a　thump…thump…thumping　as　his　body　went　down　the　ladder；　and　he　desperately　tried　to　grab　the　rungs　as　he　fell。　I　heard；　〃Ricky；　no！〃　and　the　cloud　vanished　from　my　head；　I　was　pletely　free　again。　I　looked　down　and　saw　the　Julia　swarm　alongside　Ricky；　who　had　caught　himself　about　twelve　feet　above　the　floor。　He　looked　up　angrily。　His　mouth　and　nose　were　gushing　blood。　He　started　toward　me　but　the　Julia　swarm　said；　〃No；　Ricky。　No；　you　can't！　Let　Vince。〃
　And　then　Ricky　half　climbed；　half　fell　the　rest　of　the　way　down　the　ladder　to　the　ground；　and　the　swarm　reinhabited　Julia's　pale　body；　and　the　two　of　them　stood　there　and　watched　me。　I　turned　away　from　them　and　looked　up　the　ladder。
　Vince　was　standing　there；　five　feet　above　me。
　His　feet　were　on　the　top　rungs；　and　he　was　leaning　over；　blocking　my　way。　There　was　no　possible　way　I　could　get　past　him。　I　paused　to　take　stock；　shifted　my　weight　on　the　ladder；　got　one　leg　up　to　the　next　rung；　hooked　my　free　arm　around　the　rung　nearest　my　face。　But　as　I　raised　my　leg；　I　felt　the　lump　in　my　pocket。　I　paused。
　I　had　one　more　vial　of　phage。
　I　reached　into　my　pocket；　and　drew　it　out　to　show　him。　I　pulled　out　the　cork　with　my　teeth。　〃Hey；　Vince；〃　I　said。　〃How　about　a　shit　shower？〃
　He　didn't　move。　But　his　eyes　narrowed。
　I　moved　up　another　rung。
　〃Better　get　back；　Vince；〃　I　said。　I　was　panting　so　hard　I　couldn't　manage　the　proper　menace。　〃Get　on　back　before　you　get　wet　。。。〃
　One　more　rung。　I　was　only　three　rungs　below　him。
　〃It's　your　call；　Vince。〃　I　held　the　vial　in　my　other　hand。　〃I　can't　hit　your　face　from　down　here。　But　I'll　sure　as　hell　hit　your　legs　and　shoes。　Do　you　care？〃
　One　more　rung。
　Vince　stayed　where　he　was。
　〃Maybe　not；〃　I　said。　〃You　like　to　live　dangerously？〃
　I　paused。　If　I　advanced　another　rung；　he　could　kick　me　in　the　head。　If　I　stayed　where　I　was；　he　would　have　to　e　down　to　me；　and　I　could　get　him。　So　I　stayed。　〃What　do　you　say；　Vince？　Going　to　stay；　or　go？〃
　He　frowned。　His　eyes　flicked　back　and　forth；　from　my　face　to　the　vial；　and　back　again。
　And　then　he　stepped　away　from　the　ladder。
　〃Good　boy；　Vince。〃
　I　came　up　one　rung。
　He　had　stepped　back　so　far　that　now　I　couldn't　see　where　he　was。　I　thought　he　was　probably　planning　to　rush　me　at　the　top。　So　I　got　ready　to　duck　down；　and　swing　laterally。　Last　rung。
　And　now　I　saw　him。　He　wasn't　planning　anything。　Vince　was　shaking　with　panic；　a　cornered　animal；　huddled　back　in　the　dark　recess　of　the　walkway。　I　couldn't　read　his　eyes；　but　I　saw　his　body　tremble。
　〃Okay；　Vince；〃　I　said。　〃I'm　ing　up。〃
　I　stepped　onto　the　mesh　platform。　I　was　right　at　the　top　of　the　stairs；　surrounded　by　roaring　machinery。　Not　twenty　paces　away；　I　saw　the　paired　steel　tanks　for　the　sprinkler　system。　I　glanced　down　and　saw　Ricky　and　Julia；　staring　up　at　me。　I　wondered　if　they　realized　how　close　I　was　to　my　goal。
　I　looked　back　at　Vince；　just　in　time　to　see　him　pull　a　translucent　white　plastic　tarp　off　a　corner　box。　He　wrapped　himself　in　the　tarp　like　a　shield；　and　then；　with　a　guttural　yell；　he　charged。　I　was　right　at　the　edge　of　the　ladder。　I　had　no　time　to　get　out　of　the　way；　I　just　turned　sideways　and　braced　myself　against　a　big　three…foot　pipe　against　the　ing　impact。　Vince　slammed　into　me。
　The　vial　went　flying　out　of　my　hand；　shattering　on　the　mesh。　The　jug　was　knocked　from　my　other　hand　and　tumbled　along　the　walkway；　ing　to　rest　at　the　lip　of　the　mesh　path。　Another　few　inches　and　it　would　go　over。　I　moved　toward　it。
　Still　hiding　behind　the　tarp；　Vince　smashed　into　me　again。　I　was　slammed　back　against　the　pipe。　My　head　clanged　on　steel。　I　slipped　on　the　brown　sludge　that　dripped　through　holes　in　the　mesh；　barely　kept　my　balance。　Vince　slammed　me　again。
　In　his　panic　he　never　realized　I　had　lost　my　weapons。　Or　perhaps　he　couldn't　see　through　the　tarp。　He　just　kept　pounding　me　with　his　full　body；　and　I　finally　slipped　on　the　sludge　and　went　down　on　my　knees。　I　immediately　scrambled　toward　the　jug；　which　was　about　ten　feet　away。　That　odd　behavior　made　Vince　stop　for　a　moment；　he　pulled　down　the　tarp；　saw　the　jug；　and　lunged　for　it；　vaulting　his　whole　body　forward　in　the　air。
　But　he　was　too　late。　I　had　my　hand　on　the　jug；　and　yanked　it　away；　just　as　Vince　landed；　tarp　and　all；　right　where　the　jug　had　been。　His　head　banged　hard　on　the　walkway　lip。　He　was　momentarily　stunned；　shaking　his　head　to　clear　it。
　And　I　grabbed　the　edge　of　the　tarp；　and　yanked　upward。
　Vince　yelled；　and　went　over　the　side。
　I　watched　as　he　hit　the　floor。　His　body　didn't　move。　Then　t