dk.nightchills-第35章

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　packaged　in　wrappers　rich　in　subliminal　mands　to　watch　。a　certain　television　station　at　a　certain　hour　on　a　certain　day。　Even　if　the　subject　throws　the　piece　of　mail　away　without　opening　it；　he'll　be　affected；　because　the　envelopes　will　also　be　printed　over　with　subliminal　messages。　The　major　magazines　and　newspapers　entering　Black　River　during　the　period　of　programming　will　carry　ads　full　of　subceptive　mands　that　direct　the　people　to　watch　the　movies。〃　He　was　getting　a　bit　breathless　in　his　recital。　〃A　motion　picture　theater　could　not　ordinarily　prosper　in　a　town　the　size　of　Black　River。　But　Big　Union　runs　one　as　a　service　to　the　town。　During　the　summer；　every　day　but　Sunday；　there's　a　matinee　show　for　children。　The　prints　of　the　films　shown　at　those　matinees　will　be　our　prints；　with　subliminals　urging　the　children　to　watch　the　television　movies　that　will　contain　the　key…lock　program。　All　radio　stations　reaching　the　area　will　carry'　special　thirty…second　spot　ads；　hundreds　of　them；　with　subaudial　subliminal　directives。　These　account　for　only　half　our　methods。　By　the　time　all　of　this　washes　through　the　munity；　everyone　will　be　in　front　of　a　television　set　at　the　right　time。〃
　〃What　about　the　people　who　don't　have　television　sets？〃　Klinger　asked。
　〃There's　not　much　to　do　in　a　place　as　isolated　as　Black　River；〃　Salsbury　said。　〃The　recreation　hall　in　the　camp　has　ten　sets。　Virtually　everyone　in　town　owns　a　set。　Those　who　don't　will　be　directed；　by　the　first　wave　of　preliminary　subliminals；　to　watch　the　movies　at　a　friend's　house。　Or　with　a　relative　or　neighbor。〃
　For　the　first　time；　Klinger　looked　at　Salsbury　with　respect。　〃Incredible。〃
　〃Thank　you。〃
　〃What　about　the　drug？　How　will　that　be　introduced？〃
　Salsbury　finished　his　whiskey。　He　felt　wonderful。　〃There　are　only　two　sources　of　food　and　beverage　within　the　site。　The　lumber　camp　men　get　what　they　want　from　the　mess　hall。　In　town　everyone　buys　from　Edison's　General　Store。　Edison　has　no　petition。　He　even　supplies　the　town's　only　diner。　Now；　both　the　mess　hall　and　the　general　store　receive　their　goods　from　the　same　food　wholesaler　in　Augusta。〃
　〃Ahhh；〃　the　general　said。　He　smiled。
　〃It's　a　perfect　mando　operation　for　Holbrook　and　Rossner。　They　can　break　into　the　wholesaler's　warehouse　at　night　and　quickly　contaminate　several　different　items　set　aside　for　shipment　to　Black　River。〃　He　pointed　to　the　cathode…ray　tubes　where　the　list　of　requirements　for　an　ideal　site　was　being　reprinted。　〃Number　four。〃
　Klinger　looked　at　the　screen　to　his　left。
　4A。　SITE　SHOULD　HAVE　RESERVOIR　THAT　SERVES　NO　LESS　THAN
　90　PERCENT　OF　TOTAL　POPULATION
　4B。　BLACK　RIVER　RESERVOIR　SERVES100　PERCENT　OF　TOWN　RESIDENTS
　100　PERCENT　OF　LUMBER
　CAMP　RESIDENTS
　　
　〃Ordinarily；　in　a　backwoods　village　like　this；〃　Salsbury　said；　〃each　house　would　have　its　own　fresh…water　well。　But　the　mill　needs　a　reservoir　for　industrial　purposes；　so　the　town　benefits。〃
　〃How　did　you　choose　Black　River？　Where　did　you　learn　all　of　this　stuff？〃
　Salsbury　depressed　a　tab　on　the　programming　keyboard　and　cleared　the　screen。　〃In　1960；　Leonard　bankrolled　a　pany　named　Statistical　Profiles　Incorporated。　It　does　all　the　marketing　research　for　his　other　panies…and　for　panies　he　doesn't　own。　It　pays　for　a　trunk　line　to　the　Census　Bureau　data　banks。　Ve　used　Statistical　Profiles　to　run　a　search　for　the　ideal　test　site。　Of　course；　they　didn't　know　why　we　were　interested　in　a　town　that　met　these　particular　requirements。〃
　Frowning；　the　general　said；　〃How　many　people　at　Statistical　Profiles　were　involved　in　the　search？〃
　〃Two；〃　Salsbury　said。　〃I　know　what　you're　thinking。　Don't　worry。　They're　both　scheduled　to　die　in　accidents　well　before　we　begin　the　field　test。〃
　〃I　suppose　we'll　send　Rossner　and　Holbrook　to　contaminate　the　reservoir。〃
　〃Then　we　get　rid　of　them。〃
　The　general　raised　his　bushy　eyebrows。　〃Kill　them？〃
　〃Or　order　them　to　mit　suicide。〃
　〃Why　not　just　tell　them　to　forget　everything　they've　done；　to　wipe　it　from　their　minds？〃
　〃That　might　save　them　from　prosecution　if　things　went　badly　wrong。　But　it　wouldn't　save　us。　We　can't　wipe　from　our　minds　all　memory　of　what　we　had　them　do。　If　problems　develop　with　the　field　test；　serious　problems　that　throw　our　entire　Operation　in　the　garbage；　and　if　it　turns　out　that　Rossner　and　Holbrook　were　seen　at　the　reservoir　or　left　any　clues　behind…
　well；　we　don't　want　the　authorities　to　connect　us　with　Glenn　and　Peter。〃
　〃What　problems　could　arise　that　would　be　that　serious？〃
　〃Anything。　Nothing。　I　don't　know。〃
　After　he　bad　thought　about　it　for　a　while；　Klinger　said；　〃Yes；　I　suppose　you're　right。〃
　〃I　know　I　am。〃
　〃Have　you　set　a　date　yet？　For　the　field　test？〃
　〃We　should　be　ready　by　August；〃　Salsbury　said。
　9
　Friday；　August　26；　1977
　TAT…TAT…TAT…TAT…TAT…TAT　。　。　Since　his　experience　with　Brenda　Mackim　on　Monday；
　Salsbury　had　been　able　to　resist　temptation。　At　any　time　he　could　have　taken　full　control　of　another　good…looking　woman；　could　have　raped　her　and　erased　all　memory　of　the　act　from　her　mind。　He　took　strength　from　the　knowledge　that　the　bitches　were　his　for　the　asking。　Whenever　he　could　honestly　conclude　that　the　field　test　was　a　smashing　success；　and　that　no　danger　of　discovery　existed；　he　would　screw　every　one　of　them　that　he　wanted。　The　bitches。　Animals。　Little　animals。　Dozens　of　them。　All　of　them。　Because　he　knew　the　future　held　an　almost　endless　orgy　for　him；　be　was　able　to　cop；　if　only　temporarily；　with　his　desire。　He　went　from　house　to　house；　using　the　key…lock　code　phrase；　interviewing　his　subjects；　observing　and　testing。　Denying　himself。　Working　hard。　Doing　his　job。　So　strict　with　himself。　。　。　He　was　proud　of　his　will　power。
　This　morning　his　will　power　shattered。　For　the　past　four　nights；　his　sleep　had　been　disturbed　by　grotesque　dreams　that　featured　his　mother　and　Miriam　and　sudden　violence　and　blood　and　an　eerie；　indescribable　atmosphere　of　perverted　sex。　When　he　came　awake　this　morning；　shouting　and　flailing　at　the　bedclothes；　he　thought　of　Emma　Thorp…deep　cleavage　in　an　orange　sweater…and　she　seemed　to　him　like　an　antidote　for　the　poisons　that　had　churned　through　him　while　he　slept　he　had　to　have　her；　was　going　to　have　her；　today；　soon；　and　to　hell　with　self…denial。
　The　smooth　stream　of　power　in　him　was　again　transformed　into　a　rhythmic；　alternating　current；　crackling　across　countless　arcs；　a　hundred　million　synapses。　His　thoughts　ricocheted　with　great　energy　from　one　subject　to　another；　submachine…gun　thoughts：　tat…tat…tat…tat…tat…tat…tat
　At　7：45　he　left　Pauline　Vicker's　rooming　house　and　went　to　the　cafe　on　the　square。
　The　sky　was　cloudy；　the　air　humid。
　At　8：25　he　finished　breakfast　and　left　the　cafe。
　At　8：40　he　reached　the　Thorps'　place；　the　Last　house　on　Union　Road；　next　to　the　river。
　He　rang　the　doorbell　twice。
　The　chief　of　police　himself　answered。　He　hadn't　gone　to　work　yet。　Good。　Wonderful。
　Salsbury　said；　〃I　am　the　key。〃
　〃I　am　the　lock。〃
　〃Let　me　in。〃
　Bob　Thorp　stepped　out　of　his　way；　let　him　by；　then　closed　the　door　after　him。
　〃Is　your　wife　here？〃　〃Yes。〃
　〃Your　son？〃
　〃He's　here　too。〃
　〃Anyone　else？〃
　〃Just　you　and　me。〃　〃Your　son's　name？〃　〃Jeremy。〃
　〃Where　are　they？〃　〃In　the　kitchen。〃
　〃Take　me　to　them。〃　Thorp　hesitated。
　〃Take　me　to　them！〃
　They　went　along　a　narrow　but　brightly　papered　hallway。
　The　kitchen　was　modem　and　stylish。　Mediterranean　cupboards　and　fixtures。　Coppertone　refrigerator　and　upright　freezer。　A　microwave　oven。　A　television　set　was　suspended　from　the
　ceiling　in　one　corner　and　angled　toward　the　big　round　table　by　the　window。
　Jeremy　was　at　the　table；　eating　eggs　and　toast；　facing　the　hall。　To　the　boy's　right；　Emma　sat　with　one　elbow　on　the　table；　drinking　a　glass　of　orange　juice。　She　was　wearing　a　blue；　floor…length　corduroy　housecoat。　Her　hair　was　as　golden　and　full　as　he　remembered　it。　As　she　turned　to　ask　her　husband　who　had　rung　the　bell；　he　saw　that　her　lovely　face　was　still　soft　with　sleep…and　for　some　reason　that　aroused　him。
　She　said；　〃Bob？　Who's　this？〃
　Salsbury　said；　〃I　am　the　key。〃
　Two　voices　responded。
　At　8：55；　making　the　weekly　trip　into　town　to　lay　in　a　fresh　supply　of　perishables；　Paul　Annendale　braked