dk.solesurvivor-第58节

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　　'Doctor；　you　showed　enormous　promise　in　your　field　until　you　were　about　thirty…seven…and　then　suddenly　your　work　appeared　to　e　almost　to　a　plete　halt　except　for　a　minor　paper　published　here　or　there　from　time　to　time。　You　were　a　Niagara　of　creativity…and　then　went　dry　overnight。'
　　'And　that　indicates　what　to　you？'
　　'It's　the　signature　pattern　of　a　scientist　who's　been　co…opted　by　the　defence　establishment　or　some　other　branch　of　government　with　sufficient　power　to　enforce　a　total　information　blackout。　So　when　we　see　something　like　that；　we　start　trying　to　find　out　exactly　where　you're　at　work。　Finally　we　located　you　at　Teknologik；　but　not　at　any　of　their　well…known　and　accessible　facilities。　A　deep　subterranean；　biologically　secure　plex　near　Manassas；　Virginia。　Something　called　〃Project　Ninety…nine。〃
　　While　he　listened　intently　to　the　conversation；　Joe　watched　as；　out　at　the　end　of　the　long　driveway；　the　ornate　electric　gate　rolled　aside。
　　'How　much　do　you　know　about　what　we　do　on　Project　Ninety…nine？'　Rose　asked。
　　'Not　enough；'　Mark　said。
　　'How　can　you　know　anything　at　all？'
　　'When　I　say　we　track　ongoing　research　worldwide；　I　don't　mean　that　we　limit　ourselves　to　the　same　publications　and　shared　data　banks　that　any　science　library　has　available　to　it。'
　　With　no　animosity；　Rose　said；　'That's　a　nice　way　of　saying　you　try　to　penetrate　puter　security　systems；　hack　your　way　in；　break　encryptions。'
　　'Whatever。　We　don't　do　it　for　profit。　We　don't　economically　exploit　the　information　we　acquire。　It's　simply　our　mission；　the　search　we　were　created　to　undertake。'
　　Joe　was　surprised　by　his　own　patience。　Although　he　was　learning　things　by　listening　to　them　talk…the　basic　mystery　only　grew　deeper。　Yet　he　was　prepared　to　wait　for　answers。　The　bizarre　experience　with　the　Polaroid　snapshot　in　the　banquet　room　had　left　him　shaken。　Now　that　he'd　had　time　to　think　about　what　had　happened；　the　synesthesia　seemed　to　be　but　prelude　to　some　revelation　that　was　going　to　be　more　shattering　and　humbling　than　he　had　previously　imagined。　He　remained　mitted　to　learning　the　truth；　but　now　instinct　warned　him　that　he　should　allow　the　revelations　to　wash　over　him　in　small　waves　instead　of　in　one　devastating　tsunami。
　　Joshua　had　gone　through　the　open　gate　and　was　standing　along　the　Pacific　Coast　Highway。
　　Over　the　eastern　hills；　the　swollen　moon　ascended　yellow…orange；　and　the　warm　wind　seemed　to　blow　down　out　of　it。
　　Mark　said；　'You　were　one　of　thousands　of　researchers　whose　work　we　followed…though　you　were　of　somewhat　special　interest　because　of　the　extreme　secrecy　at　Project　Ninety…nine。　Then；　a　year　ago；　you　left　Manassas　with　something　from　the　project；　and　overnight　you　were　the　most　wanted　person　in　the　country。　Even　after　you　supposedly　died　aboard　that　airliner　in　Colorado。　Even　then　。　。　。　people　were　looking　for　you；　lots　of　people；　expending　considerable　resources；　searching　frantically　for　a　dead　woman　…which　seemed　pretty　weird　to　us。'
　　Rose　said　nothing　to　encourage　him。　She　seemed　tired。
　　Joe　took　her　hand。　She　was　trembling；　but　she　squeezed　his　hand　as　if　to　assure　him　that　she　was　all　right。
　　'Then　we　began　to　intercept　reports　from　a　certain　clandestine　police　agency。　。　。　reports　that　said　you　were　alive　and　active　in　the　L。A。　area；　that　it　involved　families　who'd　lost　loved　ones　on　Flight　353。　We　set　up　some　surveillance　of　our　own。　We're　pretty　good　at　it。　Some　of　us　are　ex…military。　Anyway；　you　could　say　we　watched　the　watchers　who　were　keeping　tab　on　people　like　Joe　here。　And　now。　。　。　I　guess　it's　a　good　thing　we　did。'
　　'Yes；　thank　you；'　she　said。　'But　you　don't　know　what　you're　getting　into　here。　There's　not　just　glory　。　。　。　there's　terrible　danger。'
　　'Dr。　Tucker；'　Mark　persisted；　'there　are　over　nine　thousand　of　us　now；　and　we've　mitted　our　lives　to　what　we　do。　We're　not　afraid。　And　now　we　believe　that　you　may　have　found　the　interface…and　that　it's　very　different　from　anything　we　quite　anticipated。　If　you've　actually　made　that　breakthrough。　。　。　if　humanity　is　at　that　pivot　point　in　history　when　everything　is　going　to　change　radically　and　forever　。　。　。　then　we　are　your　natural　allies。'
　　'I　think　you　are；'　she　agreed。
　　Gently　but　persistently　selling　her　on　this　alliance；　Mark　said；　'Doctor；　we　both　have　set　ourselves　against　those　forces　of　ignorance　and　fear　and　self…interest　that　want　to　keep　the　world　in　darkness。'
　　'Remember；　I　once　worked　for　them。'
　　'But　turned。'
　　A　car　swung　off　Pacific　Coast　Highway　and　paused　to　pick　up　Joshua。　It　was　followed　through　the　gate　and　along　the　driveway　by　a　second　car。
　　Rose；　Mark；　and　Joe　got　to　their　feet　as　the　two　vehicles…a　Ford　trailed　by　a　Mercedes…circled　the　fountain　and　stopped　in　front　of　them。
　　Joshua　stepped　from　the　passenger　door　of　the　Ford；　and　a　young　brunette　woman　got　out　from　behind　the　steering　wheel。　The　Mercedes　was　driven　by　an　Asian　man　of　about　thirty。
　　They　all　gathered　before　Rose　Tucker；　and　for　a　moment　everyone　stood　in　silence。
　　The　steadily　escalating　wind　no　longer　spoke　merely　through　the　rustling　foliage　of　the　trees；　through　the　cricket…rasping　branches　of　the　shrubbery；　and　through　the　hollow　flutelike　music　issuing　from　the　eaves　of　the　mansion；　for　now　it　also　enjoyed　a　voice　of　its　own：　a　haunted　keening　that　curled　chillingly　in　listening　ears；　akin　to　the　muted　but　frightful　ululant　crying　of　coyote　packs　chasing　down　prey　in　some　far　canyon　of　the　night。
　　In　the　landscape　lights；　the　shuddering　greenery　cast　nervous　shadows；　and　the　gradually　paling　moon　gazed　at　itself　in　the　shiny　surfaces　of　the　automobiles。
　　Watching　these　four　people　as　they　watched　Rose；　Joe　realized　that　they　regarded　the　scientist　not　solely　with　curiosity　but　with　wonder；　perhaps　even　with　awe；　as　though　they　stood　in　the　presence　of　someone　transcendent。　Someone　holy。
　　'I'm　surprised　to　see　every　one　of　you　in　mufti；'　Rose　said。
　　They　smiled；　and　Joshua　said；　'Two　years　ago；　when　we　first　set　out　on　this　mission；　we　were　reasonably　quiet　about　it。　Didn't　want　to　excite　a　lot　of　media　interest。　。　。　because　we　thought　we'd　largely　be　misunderstood。　What　we　didn't　expect　was　that　we'd　have　enemies。　And　enemies　so　violent。'
　　'So　powerful；'　Mark　said。
　　'We　thought　everyone　would　want　to　know　the　answers　we　were　seeking…if　we　ever　found　them。　Now　we　know　better。'
　　'Ignorance　is　a　bliss　that　some　people　will　kill　for；'　said　the　young　woman。
　　'So　a　year　ago；'　Joshua　continued；　'we　adopted　the　robes　as　a　distraction。　People　understand　us　as　a　cult…or　think　they　do。　We're　more　acceptable　when　we're　viewed　as　fanatics；　neatly　labelled　and　confined　to　a　box。　We　don't　make　people　quite　so　nervous。'
　　Robes。
　　Astonished；　Joe　said；　'You　wear　blue　robes；　shave　your　heads。'
　　Joshua　said；　'Some　of　us　do；　yes；　as　of　a　year　ago…and　those　in　the　uniform　pretend　to　be　the　entire　membership。　That's　what　I　meant　when　I　said　the　robes　are　a　distraction…the　robes；　the　shaved　heads；　the　earrings；　the　visible　munal　enclaves。　The　rest　of　us　have　gone　underground；　where　we　can　do　the　work　without　being　spied　on；　subjected　to　harassment；　and　easily　infiltrated。'
　　'e　with　us；'　the　young　woman　said　to　Rose。　'We　know　you　may　have　found　the　way；　and　we　want　to　help　you　bring　it　to　the　world…without　interference。'
　　Rose　moved　to　her　and　put　a　hand　against　her　cheek；　much　as　she　had　touched　Joe　in　the　cemetery。　'I　might　be　with　you　soon；　but　not　tonight。　I　need　more　time　to　think；　to　plan。　And　I'm　in　a　hurry　to　see　a　young　girl；　a　child；　who　is　at　the　centre　of　what　is　happening。'
　　Nina；　Joe　thought；　and　his　heart　shuddered　like　the　shadows　of　the　wind…shaken　trees。
　　Rose　moved　to　the　Asian　man　and　touched　him　too。　'I　can　tell　you　this　much　。　。　。　we　stand　on　the　threshold　you　foresaw。　We　will　go　through　that　door；　maybe　not　tomorrow　or　the　day　after　tomorrow　or　next　week；　but　in　the　years　ahead。'
　　She　went　to　Joshua。　'Together　we　will　see　the　world　change　forever；　bring　the　light　of　knowledge　into　the　great　dark　loneliness　of　human　existence。　In　our　time。'
　　And　finally　she　approached　Mark。　'I　assume　you　brought　two　cars　because　you　were　prepared　to　give　one　to　Joe　and　me。'
　　'Yes。　But　we　hoped…'
　　She　put　a　hand　on　his　arm。　'Soon　but　not　tonight。　I've　got　urgent　business；　Mark。　Everything　we　hope　to　achieve　hangs　in　the　balance　right　now；　hangs　so　precariously…until　I　can　reach　the　little　girl　I　mentioned。'
　　'Wherever　she　is；　we　can　take　you　to　her。'
　　'No。　Joe　and　I　must　do　this　alone…and　quickly。'
　　'You　can　take　the　Ford。'
　　'Thank　you。'
　　Mark　withdrew　a　folded　one…dollar　bill　from　his　pocket　and　gave　it　to　Rose。　'There　are　just　eight　digits　in　the　serial　number　on　this　bill。　Ignore　the　fourth　digit；　and　the　other　seven　are　a　phone　number　in　the　three…one…oh　area　code。'
　　Rose　tucked　the　bill　into　her　jeans。
　　'When　you're　ready　to　join　us；'　Mark　said；　'or　if　you're　ever　in　trouble　you　can't　'get　out　of；　ask　for　me　at　that　number。　We'll　e　for　you　no　matter　where　you　are。'
　　She　kissed　him　on　the　cheek。　'We've　got　to　go。'　She　turned　to　Joe；　'Will　you　drive？'
　　'Yes。'
　　To　Joshua；　she　said；　'May　I　take　your　c