mc.prey-第73章

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　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　the　swarm　came　off　him；　sliding　into　the　air　like　his　ghost。　The　ghost　joined　Ricky　and　Julia　who　were　looking　up　at　me。　Then　they　turned　away　and　hurried　across　the　floor　of　the　fabrication　room；　jumping　over　the　octopus　arms　as　they　went。　Their　movements　conveyed　a　clear　sense　of　urgency。　You　might　even　think　they　were　frightened。
　Good；　I　thought。
　I　got　to　my　feet　and　headed　for　the　sprinkler　tanks。　The　instructions　were　stenciled　on　the　lower　tank。　It　was　easy　to　figure　out　the　valves。　I　twisted　the　inflow；　unscrewed　the　filler　cap；　waited　for　the　pressurized　nitrogen　to　hiss　out；　and　then　dumped　in　the　jug　of　phage。　I　listened　as　it　gurgled　into　the　tank。　Then　I　screwed　the　cap　back　on；　twisted　the　valve；　repressurized　with　nitrogen。
　And　I　was　done。
　I　took　a　deep　breath。
　I　was　going　to　win　this　thing；　after　all。
　I　rode　the　elevator　down；　feeling　good　for　the　first　time　all　day。
　　
　DAY　7　
　8：12　A。M。
　They　were　all　clustered　together　on　the　other　side　of　the　room…Julia；　Ricky；　and　now　Bobby；　as　well。　Vince　was　there；　too；　hovering　in　the　background；　but　I　could　sometimes　see　through　him；　his　swarm　was　slightly　transparent。　I　wondered　which　of　the　others　were　only　swarms　now。　I　couldn't　be　sure。　But　it　didn't　matter　now；　anyway。
　They　were　standing　beside　a　bank　of　puter　monitors　that　showed　every　parameter　of　the　manufacturing　process：　graphs　of　temperature；　output；　God　knows　what　else。　But　they　had　turned　their　backs　to　the　monitors。　They　were　watching　me。
　I　walked　calmly　toward　them；　in　measured　steps。　I　was　in　no　rush。　Far　from　it。　I　must　have　taken　a　full　two　minutes　to　cross　the　fabrication　room　to　where　they　were　standing。　They　regarded　me　with　puzzlement；　and　then　with　increasingly　open　amusement。　〃Well；　Jack；〃　Julia　said　finally。　〃How's　your　day　going？〃
　〃Not　bad；〃　I　said。　〃Things　are　looking　up。〃
　〃You　seem　very　confident。〃
　I　shrugged。
　〃You've　got　everything　under　control？〃　Julia　said。
　I　shrugged　again。
　〃By　the　way；　where　is　Mae？〃
　〃I　don't　know。　Why？〃
　〃Bobby's　been　looking　for　her。　He　can't　find　her　anywhere。〃
　〃I　have　no　idea；〃　I　said。　〃Why　were　you　looking　for　her？〃
　〃We　thought　we　should　all　be　together；〃　Julia　said；　〃when　we　finish　our　business　here。〃
　〃Oh；〃　I　said。　〃Is　that　what　happens　now？　We　finish？〃
　She　nodded　slowly。　〃Yes；　Jack。　It　is。〃
　I　couldn't　risk　looking　at　my　watch；　I　had　to　try　and　gauge　how　much　time　had　passed。　I　was　guessing　three　or　four　minutes。　I　said；　〃So；　what　do　you　have　in　mind？〃　Julia　began　to　pace。　〃Well；　Jack；　I'm　very　disappointed　in　how　things　have　gone　with　you。　I　really　am。　You　know　how　much　I　care　about　you。　I　would　never　want　anything　to　happen　to　you。　But　you're　fighting　us；　Jack。　And　you　won't　stop　fighting。　And　we　can't　have　that。〃
　〃I　see；〃　I　said。
　〃We　just　can't；　Jack。〃
　I　reached　in　my　pocket　and　brought　out　a　plastic　cigarette　lighter。　If　Julia　or　the　others　noticed；　they　gave　no　sign。
　She　kept　pacing。　〃Jack；　you　put　me　in　a　difficult　position。〃
　〃How's　that？〃
　〃You've　been　privileged　to　witness　the　birth　of　something　truly　new；　here。　Something　new　and　miraculous。　But　you　are　not　sympathetic；　Jack。〃
　〃No；　I'm　not。〃
　〃Birth　is　painful。〃
　〃So　is　death；〃　I　said。
　She　continued　to　pace。　〃Yes；〃　she　said。　〃So　is　death。〃　She　frowned　at　me。
　〃Something　the　matter？〃
　〃Where　is　Mae？〃　she　said　again。
　〃I　don't　know。　I　don't　have　the　faintest　idea。〃
　She　continued　to　frown。　〃We　have　to　find　her；　Jack。〃
　〃I'm　sure　you　will。〃
　〃Yes；　we　will。〃
　〃So　you　don't　need　me；〃　I　said。　〃Just　do　it　on　your　own。　I　mean；　you're　the　future；　if　I　remember　right。　Superior　and　unstoppable。　I'm　just　a　guy。〃
　Julia　started　walking　around　me；　looking　at　me　from　all　sides。　I　could　see　she　was　puzzled　by　my　behavior。　Or　appraising。　Maybe　I　had　overdone　it。　Gone　too　far。　She　was　picking　up　something。　She　suspected　something。　And　that　made　me　very　nervous。　I　turned　the　cigarette　lighter　over　in　my　hands；　nervously。
　〃Jack；〃　she　said。　〃You　disappoint　me。〃
　〃You　said　that　already。〃
　〃Yes；〃　she　said。　〃But　I　am　still　not　sure　。。。〃
　As　if　on　some　unspoken　cue　the　men　all　began　to　walk　in　circles。　They　were　moving　in　concentric　circles　around　me。　Was　this　some　kind　of　scanning　procedure？　Or　did　it　mean　something　else？
　I　was　trying　to　guess　the　time。　I　figured　five　minutes　had　elapsed。
　〃e；　Jack。　I　want　to　look　more　closely。〃
　She　put　her　arm　on　my　shoulder　and　led　me　over　to　one　of　the　big　octopus　arms。　It　was　easily　six　feet　across；　and　mirrored　on　its　surface。　I　could　see　Julia　standing　next　to　me。　Her　arm　over　my　shoulder。
　〃Don't　we　make　a　handsome　couple？　It's　a　shame。　We　could　have　such　a　future。〃
　I　said；　〃Yeah；　well　。。。〃
　And　the　moment　I　spoke；　a　river　of　pale　particles　streamed　off　Julia；　curved　in　the　air；　and　came　down　like　a　shower　all　over　my　body　and　into　my　mouth。　I　clamped　my　mouth　shut；　but　it　didn't　matter；　because　in　the　mirror　my　body　seemed　to　dissolve　away；　to　be　replaced　by　Julia's　body。　It　was　as　if　her　skin　had　left　her；　flowed　into　the　air；　and　slid　down　over　me。　Now　there　were　two　Julias　standing　side　by　side　in　front　of　the　mirror。　I　said；　〃Cut　it　out；　Julia。〃
　She　laughed。　〃Why？　I　think　it's　fun。〃
　〃Stop　it；〃　I　said。　I　sounded　like　myself；　even　though　I　looked　like　Julia。　〃Stop　it。〃
　〃Don't　you　like　it？　I　think　it's　amusing。　You　get　to　be　me；　for　a　while。〃
　〃I　said；　stop　it。〃
　〃Jack；　you're　just　no　fun　anymore。〃
　I　pulled　at　the　Julia…image　on　my　face；　trying　to　tear　it　away　like　a　mask。　But　I　felt　only　my　own　skin　beneath　my　fingertips。　When　I　scratched　at　my　cheek；　the　Julia…cheek　showed　scratches　in　the　mirror。　I　reached　back　and　touched　my　own　hair。　In　my　panic；　I　dropped　the　cigarette　lighter。　It　clattered　on　the　concrete　floor。
　〃Get　it　off　me；〃　I　said。　〃Get　it　off。〃
　I　heard　a　whoosh　in　my　ears；　and　the　Julia…skin　was　gone；　sweeping　into　the　air；　then　descending　onto　Julia。　Except　that　she　now　looked　like　me。　Now　there　were　two　Jacks；　side　by　side　in　the　mirror。
　〃Is　this　better？〃　she　said。
　〃I　don't　know　what　you　are　trying　to　prove。〃　I　took　a　breath。
　I　bent　over　and　picked　up　the　lighter。
　〃I'm　not　trying　to　prove　anything；〃　she　said。　〃I'm　just　feeling　you　out；　Jack。　And　you　know　what　I　found？　You've　got　a　secret；　Jack。　And　you　thought　I　wouldn't　find　it　out。〃
　〃Yes？〃
　〃But　I　did；〃　she　said。
　I　didn't　know　how　to　take　her　words。　I　wasn't　sure　where　I　was　anymore；　and　the　changes　in　appearance　had　so　unnerved　me　that　I　had　lost　track　of　the　time。　〃You're　worried　about　the　time；　aren't　you；　Jack；〃　she　said。　〃You　needn't　be。　We　have　plenty　of　time。　Everything　is　under　control　here。　Are　you　going　to　tell　us　your　secret？　Or　do　we　have　to　make　you　tell？〃
　Behind　her；　I　could　see　the　stacked　monitor　screens　of　the　control　station。　The　corner　ones　had　a　flashing　bar　along　the　top；　with　lettering　that　I　couldn't　read。　I　could　see　that　some　of　the　graphs　were　rising　steeply；　their　lines　turning　from　blue　to　yellow　to　red　as　they　climbed。　I　did　nothing。
　Julia　turned　to　the　men。　〃Okay；〃　she　said。　〃Make　him　tell。〃
　The　three　men　converged　toward　me。　It　was　time　to　show　them。　It　was　time　to　spring　my　trap。　〃No　problem；〃　I　said。　I　raised　my　lighter；　flicked　the　flame；　and　held　it　under　the　nearest　sprinkler　head。
　The　men　stopped　in　their　tracks。　They　watched　me。
　I　held　the　lighter　steady。　The　sprinkler　head　blackened　with　the　smoke。
　And　nothing　happened。
　*　*　*
　The　flame　was　melting　the　soft　metal　tab　beneath　the　sprinkler　head。　Splotches　of　silver　were　dripping　on　the　ground　at　my　feet。　And　still　nothing　happened。　The　sprinklers　didn't　e　on。　〃Oh　shit；〃　I　said。
　Julia　was　watching　me　thoughtfully。　〃It　was　a　nice　try。　Very　inventive；　Jack。　Good　thinking。　But　you　forgot　one　thing。〃
　〃What's　that？〃
　〃There's　a　safety　system　for　the　plant。　And　when　we　saw　you　going　for　the　sprinklers；　Ricky　turned　the　system　off。　Safeties　off；　sprinklers　off。〃　She　shrugged。　〃Guess　you're　out　of　luck；　Jack。〃
　I　flicked　the　lighter　off。　There　was　nothing　for　me　to　do。　I　just　stood　there