11_metamorphosis-第18章

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break　of　the　Global　Civil　War。

When　he　met　Carla；　she　seemed　immediately　to　understand　everything。　Carla　became　his　co…conspirator；　his　lover；　his　confidant；　his　fianc閑。　She　became　a　mainstay　of　his　life；　showing　her　affection　for　his　Musume　persona；　joining　him　in　a　world　where　conventions　and　Western　narrowness　had　no　hold。

Everything　was　fine　until　the　Invid　came。　While　Earth　passed　into　the　flames；　a　young　reserve　aviator　named　Lancer　lay　listening　to　the　tread　of　Shock　Trooper　mecha　and　the　sound　of　rifle　butts　and　hobnailed　boots　breaking　down　doors　in　the　alley　outside。

Carla　was　already　nearly　as　adept　at　some　parts　of　his　craft　as　he。　〃There's　only　one　way　you　can　survive；　and　that's　as　Yellow　Dancer；〃　she　said；　even　as　she　was　setting　out　makeup。

When　the　Invid　manhunters　came　in　they　found　only　two　frightened　women。　Their　insistent　search　turned　up　nothing…Lancer's　VT　armor　having　been　left　behind…and　they　went　away　grumbling；　the　Shock　Trooper's　optical　sensor　indicating　nothing　as　the　hulking　war　machine　turned　to　go。

Carla　leaned　to　kiss　her　lover　longingly。　〃You're　Yellow　Dancer　now。　You　must　be；　every　moment；　or　we're　dead。〃


In　retrospect；　it　seemed　a　happy　time　but　sitting　at　the　table　in　the　Club　Inca；　Carla　knew　that　it　had　been　filled　with　fear　and　travail。　By　foot　and　ox　cart　and　stolen　bike　and　a　half…dozen　other　means　that　they　took　as　the　occasion　arose；　she　and　Yellow　Dancer　moved　toward　some　hoped…for　safety。　Yellow　even　began　singing　for　their　supper；　when　the　opportunity　came　up。　Not　only　did　Yellow　Dancer's　persona　submerge　Lancer's；　Yellow　and　Carla　came　to　meld；　in　a　way。

Then　there　came　a　day　in　a　huge　rail　terminal；　both　of　them　clutching　forged　documents　from　the　Resistance　that　would　get　them　to　a　possible　place　of　safety。　The　region　they　were　in　was　somewhat　neutral；　and　Carla's　lover　was　Lancer　once　more。　Dark　thoughts　seemed　to　have　overtaken　him　once　his　male　persona　reasserted　itself；　the　halcyon　days　of　the　escape　were　over；　and　aliens　strode　the　Earth；　exterminating　Human　beings　at　will。

And　as　the　bullet　train　began　moving；　Lancer　leapt　from　it。　The　doors　shut　and　secured　automatically　behind　him。　He　crouched；　staring　at　the　surface　of　the　train　platform　so　that　he　wouldn't　have　to　meet　her　gaze。　Lancer　had　to　let　the　train　take　Carla　to　safety　so　that　he　could　join　the　Resistance　in　the　fight　against　the　Invid。


Carla　was　gone　from　the　sad　little　bridal　party　table　by　the　time　Yellow　Dancer　finished　her　encore　set。　Yellow　went　downstairs　to　her　makeshift　dressing　room。　What　point　would　there　have　been　in　seeing　Carla　alone？　The　Invid　kept　the　two　apart；　no　less　today　than　on　that　day　in　the　rail　station。

When　Yellow　Dancer　opened　the　door；　Carla　sat　waiting。

Yellow　Dancer　and　Lancer　surged　and　vied　in　a　single　mind。　Carla　seemed　small　and　frail；　sitting　with　her　hands　in　her　lap；　facing　the　door；　waiting　only　for　Yellow's　return。　〃After　three　years；〃　she　whispered。　〃You've　e　back　for　me　at　last！〃

Tears　ran　down　her　cheeks　as　she　watched　Yellow　sit　down。　〃Time　stopped　having　any　meaning　for　me；　do　you　know　what　that　feels　like？　What　happened　to　you？　I've　felt…my　life　has　been　so　empty！〃

What　Yellow　might　have　said　will　never　be　known；　at　that　moment　the　door　slammed　open　and　Annie　rushed　in。　〃Lancer！　Oops；　didn't　mean　to　interrupt；　but…I'm　in　love！〃

〃That's　all　right；　Annie；〃　Lancer　replied；　but　his　eyes　were　on　Carla。

In　love；　Carla　thought。　Lancer　was　looking　at　her　now；　not　Yellow　Dancer。　〃I…I　was　in　love　with　someone　once；〃　Carla　told　Annie　haltingly；　wondering　if　she　sounded　deranged。

Annie　appeared　not　to　notice　Carla's　despair。　〃Fall　in　love　again；　okay？　Then　you'll　be　just　as　happy　as　l　am！〃

Annie　gripped　Lancer's　hand。　〃Eddie　and　his　folks　are　getting　a　map；　an　honest　one；　that'll　tell　them　how　to　get　through　the　mountains　to　Paradise。　And　they're　taking　me　along！　They're　gonna　be　my　family！〃

It　dawned　on　her　that　neither　Yellow　Dancer　nor　Carla　seemed　very　happy　for　her。　She　jumped　off　the　couch　and　resettled　her　E。T。　cap。　〃I　just　couldn't　leave　without　saying　good…bye。　Um；　well；　my　dreamboat's　waiting…g'bye！〃　She　skipped　out　the　door；　tra…la…la…ing。

〃Good…bye；　Annie；〃　Yellow　Dancer　said　softly。

〃Love；〃　Carla　mused；　realizing　what　it　was　that　she　had　seen　in　Lancer's　eyes。　〃And　ours　is　gone　forever；　isn't　that　what　you　were　going　to　say？〃


Annie　caught　up　with　Eddie　where　he　was　waiting　for　his　father　at　the　Central　Deguello　Bank。　Mr。　Truman　came　down　the　steps　of　the　bank　with　a　briefcase　under　one　arm；　looking　up　as　he　heard　his　son　call　out　to　him。

Eddie's　father　had　been　away　for　a　few　days；　so　Eddie　said；　〃I'd　like　you　to　meet　a　very　special　friend　of　mine。〃

〃Hi；　Mr。　Truman！　My　name's　Annie　LaBelle！〃

Truman；　a　lean；　stoop…shouldered　man　with　salt…and…pepper　hair　and　mustache；　had　a　careworn　face　and　wore　much…repaired　wire…rim　glasses。　He　looked　weary　but　friendly。　〃Well；　Annie　LaBelle；　I'm　very　pleased　to　make　your　acquaintance。〃

He　thought　he　knew　why　Eddie　had　taken　a　liking　to　Annie；　she　was　so　much　like　Eddie's　little　sister；　Aly…Aly；　dead　these　eighteen　months　since　the　White　Virus　cut　its　swath　through　the　region。

To　his　son；　Truman　said；　〃Eddie；　we'll　be　leaving　soon…just　as　soon　as　I　wrap　up　a　few　things。　I　found　a　buyer　who　wants　the　shop；　and　Mrs。　Perio　upped　her　offer　for　the　house。　Make　sure　everything's　packed；　and　as　soon　as　I　get　home；　we'll　be　on　our　way。〃

Eddie　shifted　from　foot　to　foot；　hands　in　the　pockets　of　his　leather　jacket。　〃Um；　Dad；　I　told　Annie　she　could　e　with　us。　〃

Truman　let　show　a　faint　smile。　〃Why；　of　course　you　did；　Son。　Don't　leave　anything　behind；　Annie；　we're　getting　out　of　here　for　good。〃

As　Mr。　Truman　walked　off；　Eddie　whooped　and　did　a　little　war　dance；　Annie　pirouetted；　giggling　deliriously。　〃Paradise；　we're　on　our　way！〃


The　ten…ounce　gold　bars；　flat　and　wide　as　candy　bars　but　much　smaller；　looked　so　insignificant　there　on　the　desk；　Mr。　Truman　thought。　And　yet　they　had　taken　so　much　time　and　sacrifice　and　work　to　accumulate。　The　sunlight　streaming　through　the　tall　windows　made　them　so　bright　that　they　made　him　squint。

Across　the　wide　desk；　Mayor　Maxwell　said；　〃You　should　be　proud；　Mr。　Truman。　I　know　what　you　had　to　go　through　to　get　this；　but　not　one　man　in　a　hundred　succeeds　like　this。〃

Truman　nodded　tiredly。　It　had　been　explained　to　him；　long　since；　why　Maxwell's　map　cost　so　much。　Certain　parts　of　the　route　had　to　be　changed　constantly；　to　reflect　new　Invid　activities　and　patrolling　patterns。　And　there　was　the　need　for　Maxwell's　Lurp　teams　to　set　up　safe　resting　places　and　resupply　caches　along　the　route。　The　cost　of　maintaining　the　teams　was　high；　not　to　mention　the　fact　that　a　cut　of　all　proceeds　went　to　the　Resistance　effort　against　the　Invid。

Or　so　Maxwell　insisted。　There　were　rumors　to　the　contrary；　but　there　were　rumors　about　everything　in　Deguello。　Reliable　people　swore　they　had　heard　from　friends　and　relatives　who　had　made　it　to　Paradise；　and　that　Maxwell　was　a　trustworthy　man。　Truman　was　too　tired　to　hesitate　anymore；　too　ground　down　by　the　loss　of　a　daughter　and　the　dead…end　of　life　in　Deguello。　He　just　wanted　to　be　on　his　way；　to　get　his　family　to　the　safety　of　Paradise。

Maxwell　handed　over　a　folded；　waterproofed　bundle。　〃And　here's　a　current　map　showing　the　safe　route　through　the　mountains。　It　was　updated　by　my　Lurps　just　this　week；　you'll　be　safe　with　this。〃

Truman　accepted　it　with　a　trembling　hand。　〃Thank　you；　sir。〃

〃In　Paradise；　you'll　live　a　better　life；〃　Maxwell　said。　〃I'm　glad　you're　the　one　getting　this；　Truman。　I　know　what　some　people　think　of　me；　asking　all　the　market　will　bear　for　these　maps；　but…the　traffic　along　the　secret　route　has　to　be　kept　to　a　minimum；　and　there's　still　the　Resistance　to　finance。　Still；　I　sleep　better　when　the　people　I　help　deserve　it。〃

Carla；　on　the　other　side　of　the　ballroom；　stared　through　the　big　tropical　fishtank　there；　watching　the　scene　played　out　as　she　had　watched　it　played　out　dozens　of　times　before。　She　looked　at　the　map　Truman　held；　wishing…struggling　with　herself。

Truman　was　quickly　on　his　way；　eager　to　get　a　start　in　what　was　left　of　the　day。　Carla　sat　in　a　w