sk.dreamcatcher-第95节

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e　longer　Henry　looked；　the　better　he　saw。　It　was　like　having　your　eyes　adjust　to　the　dark；　but　it　was　more　than　that　too：　what　he　saw　had　a　creepy…giddy　depth；　as　if　all　at　once　the　physical　world　consisted　not　of　three　dimensions　but　of　four　or　five。　It　was　easy　enough　to　understand　why：　he　was　seeing　through　four　sets　of　eyes；　all　at　the　same　time。　They　were　huddled　together　in　the
　　　　Humvee；　Owen　said；　delighted。　It's　a　fucking　Humvee；　Henry！　Custom…equipped　for　snow；　too！　Bet　you　anything　it　is！
　　　　The　young　men　were　sitting　close　together；　yes；　but　still　in　four　different　places；　looking　at　the　world　from　four　different　points　of　view；　and　with　four　different　qualities　of　eyesight；　ranging　from　eagle…eye　sharp　（Dana　from　Maybrook；　New　York）　to　the　merely　adequate。　Yet　somehow　Henry's　brain　was　processing　them；　just　as　it　turned　multiple　still　images　on　a　reel　of　film　into　a　moving　picture。　This　wasn't　like　a　movie；　though；　nor　like　some　tricky　3…D　image。　It　was　an　entirely　new　way　of　seeing；　the　kind　that　could　produce　a　whole　new　way　of　thinking。
　　　　If　this　shit　spreads；　Henry　thought；　both　terrified　and　wildly　excited；　if　it　spreads　。　。　。
　　　　Owen's　elbow　thumped　into　his　side。　'Maybe　you　could　save　the　seminar　for　another　day；'　he　said。　'Look　across　the　road。'
　　　　Henry　did　so；　employing　his　unique　quadruple　vision　and　realizing　only　belatedly　that　he　had　done　more　than　look；　he　had　moved　their　eyeballs　so　he　could　peer　over　to　the　far　side　of　the　turnpike。　Where　he　saw　more　blinking　lights　in　the　storm。
　　　　'It's　a　choke…point；'　Owen　muttered。　'One　of　Kurtz's　insurance　policies。　Both　exits　blocked；　no　movement　onto　the　turnpike　without　authorization。　I　want　the　Humvee；　it's　the　best　thing　we　could　have　in　a　shitstorm　like　this；　but　I　don't　want　to　alert　the　guys　on　the　other　side。　Can　we　do　that？'
　　　　Henry　experimented　with　their　eyes　again；　moving　them。　He　discovered　that　as　soon　as　they　weren't　all　looking　at　the　same　thing；　his　sense　of　godlike　four…　or　five…dimensional　vision　evaporated；　leaving　him　with　a　nauseating；　shattered　perspective　his　processing　equipment　couldn't　cope　with。　But　he　was　moving　them。　Not　much；　just　their　eyeballs；　but　。　。　。
　　　　I　think　we　can　if　we　work　together；　Henry　told　him。　Get　closer。　And　stop　talking　out　loud。　Get　in　my　head。　Link　up。
　　　　Suddenly　Henry's　head　was　fuller。　His　vision　clarified　again；　but　this　time　the　perspective　wasn't　quite　as　deep。　Only　two　sets　of　eyes　instead　of　four：　his　and　Owen's。
　　　　Owen　put　the　Sno…Cat　into　first　gear　and　crept　forward　with　the　lights　off。　The　engine's　low　growl　was　lost　beneath　the　constant　shriek　of　the　wind；　and　as　they　closed　the　distance；　Henry　felt　his　hold　on　those　minds　ahead　tightening。
　　　　Holy　shit；　Owen　said；　half…laughing　and　half…gasping。
　　　　What？　That　is　it？
　　　　It's　you；　man　…　it's　like　being　on　a　magic　carpet。　Christ；　but　you're　strong。
　　　　You　think　I'm　strong；　wait'll　you　meet　Jonesy。
　　　　Owen　stopped　the　Sno…Cat　below　the　brow　of　a　little　hill。　Beyond　it　was　the　turnpike。　Not　to　mention　Bernie；　Dana；　Tommy；　and　Smitty；　sitting　in　their　Humvee　at　the　top　of　the　southbound　ramp；　eating　cheese　and　crackers　off　their　makeshift　tray。　He　and　Owen　were　safe　enough　from　discovery。　The　four　young　men　in　the　Humvee　were　clean　of　the　byrus　and　had　no　idea　they　were　being　scoped。　　　　
　　　　Ready？　Henry　asked；
　　　　I　guess。　The　other　person　in　Henry's　head；　cool　as　that　storied　cucumber　when　Kurtz　and　the　others　had　been　shooting　at　them；　was　now　nervous。　You　take　the　lead；　Henry。　I'm　just　flying　support　this　mission。
　　　　Here　we　go。
　　　　What　Henry　did　next　he　did　instinctively；　binding　the　four　men　in　the　Humvee　together　not　with　images　of　death　and　destruction；　but　by　impersonating　Kurtz。　To　do　this　he　drew　on　both　Owen　Underhill's　energy　…　much　greater　than　his　own；　at　this　point　…　and　Owen　Underhill's　vivid　knowledge　of　his　OIC。　The　act　of　binding　gave　him　a　brilliant　stab　of　satisfaction。　Relief；　as　well。　Moving　their　eyes　was　one　thing；　taking　them　over　pletely　was　another。　And　they　were　free　of　the　byrus。　That　could　have　made　them　immune。　Thank　God　it　had　not。
　　　　There's　a　Sno…Cat　over　that　rise　east　of　you；　laddies；　Kurtz　said。　Want　you　to　take　it　back　to　base。　Right　now；　if　you　please　…　no　questions；　no　ments；　just　get　moving。　You'll　find　the　quarters　a　little　tight　pared　to　your　current　acmodations；　but　I　think　you　can　all　fit　in；　praise　Jesus。　Now　move　your　humps；　God　love　you。
　　　　Henry　saw　them　getting　out；　their　faces　calm　and　blank　around　the　eyes。　He　started　to　get　out　himself；　then　saw　Owen　was　still　sitting　in　the　Sno…Cat's　driver's　seat；　his　own　eyes　wide。　His　lips　moved；　forming　the　words　in　his　head：　Move　your　humps；　God　love　you。
　　　　Owen！　e　on！
　　　　Owen　looked　around；　startled；　then　nodded　and　pushed　out　through　the　canvas　hanging　over　his　side　of　the　'Cat。


4

Henry　stumbled　to　his　knees；　picked　himself　up；　and　looked　wearily　into　the　streaming　dark。　Not　far　to　go；　God　knew　it　wasn't；　but　he　didn't　think　he　could　slog　through　another　twenty　feet　of　drifted　snow；　let　alone　a　hundred　and　fifty　yards。　On　and　on　the　eggman　went；　he　thought；　and　then：　I　did　it。　7hat's　the　answer；　Of　course。　I　offed　myself　and　now　I'm　in　hell。　This　is　the　eggman　in　h…
　　　　Owen's　arm　went　around　him　。　。　。　but　it　was　more　than　his　arm。　He　was　feeding　Henry　his　strength。
　　　　Thank　y…
　　　　Thank　me　later。　Sleep　later；　too。　For　now；　keep　your　eye　on　the　ball。
　　　　There　was　no　ball。　There　were　only　Bernie；　Dana；　Tommy；　and　Smitty　trooping　through　the　snow；　a　line　of　silent　somnambulists　in　coveralls　and　hooded　parkas。　They　trooped　east　on　the　Swanny　Pond　Road　toward　the　Sno…Cat　while　Owen　and　Henry　struggled　on　west；　toward　the　abandoned　Humvee。　The　cheese　and　Saltines　had　also　been　abandoned；　Henry　realized；　and　his　stomach　rumbled。
　　　　Then　the　Humvee　was　dead　ahead。　They'd　drive　it　away；　no　headlights　at　first；　low　gear　and　quiet…quiet…quiet；　skirting　the　yellow　flashers　at　the　base　of　the　ramp；　and　if　they　were　lucky；　the　fellows　guarding　the　northbound　ramp　would　never　know　they　were　gone。
　　　　If　they　do　see　us；　could　we　make　them　forget？　Owen　asked。　Give　　them　…　oh；　I　don't　know　…　give　them　amnesia？
　　　　Henry　realized　they　probably　could。
　　　　Owen？
　　　　What？
　　　　If　this　ever　got　out；　it　would　change　eve　thing。　Everything。
　　　　A　pause　as　Owen　considered　this。　Henry　wasn't　talking　about　knowledge；　the　usual　coin　of　Kurtz's　bosses　up　the　food…chain；　he　was　talking　about　abilities　that　apparently　went　well　beyond　a　little　mind…reading。
　　　　I　know；　he　replied　at　last。


5

They　headed　south　in　the　Humvee；　south　into　the　storm。　Henry　Devlin　was　still　gobbling　crackers　and　cheese　when　exhaustion　turned　out　the　lights　in　his　overstimulated　head。
　　　　He　slept　with　crumbs　on　his　lips。
　　　　And　dreamed　of　Josie　Rinkenhauer。


6

Half　an　hour　after　it　caught　fire；　old　Reggie　Gosselin's　barn　was　no　more　than　a　dying　dragon's　eye　in　the　booming　night；　waxing　and　waning　in　a　black　socket　of　melted　snow。　From　the　woods　east　of　the　Swanny　Pond　Road　came　the　pop…pop…pop　of　rifle　fire；　heavy　at　first；　then　diminishing　a　little　in　both　frequency　and　volume　as　the　Imperial　Valleys　（Kate　Gallagher's　Imperial　Valleys　now）　pursued　the　escaped　detainees。　It　was　a　turkey　shoot；　and　not　many　of　the　turkeys　were　going　to　get　away。　Enough　of　them　to　tell　the　tale；　maybe；　enough　to　rat　them　all　out；　but　that　was　tomorrow's　worry。
　　　　While　this　was　going　on　…　also　while　the　traitorous　Owen　Underhill　was　getting　farther　and　farther　ahead　of　them　…　Kurtz　and　Freddy　Johnson　stood　in　the　mand　post　（except；　Freddy　supposed；　it　was　now　nothing　but　a　Winnebago　again；　that　feeling　of　power　and　importance　had　gone）；　flipping　playing…cards　into　a　hat。
　　　　No　longer　telepathic　in　the　slightest；　but　as　sensitive　to　the　men　under　him　as　ever　…　that　his　mand　had　been　reduced　to　a　single　soldier　really　made　no　difference　…　Kurtz　looked　at　Freddy　and　said；　'Make　haste　slowly；　buck　…　that's　one　saw　that's　still　sharp。'　'Yes；　boss；'　Freddy　said　without　much　enthusiasm。
　　　　Kurtz　flipped　the　two　of　spades。　It　fluttered　down　through　the　air　and　landed　in　the　hat。　Kurtz　crowed　like　a　child　and　prepared　to　flip　again。　There　was　a　knock　at　the　'Bago's　door。　Freddy　turned　in　that　direction；　and　Kurtz　fixed　him　with　a　forbidding　look。　Freddy　turned　back　and　watched　Kurtz　flip　another　card。　This　one　started　out　well；　then　went　long　and　landed　on　the　cap's　bill。　Kurtz　muttered　something　under　his　breath；　then　nodded　at　the　door。　Freddy；　with　a　mental　prayer　of　thanks；　went　to　open　it。
　　　　Standing　on　the　top　step　was　Jocelyn　McAvoy；　one　of　the　two　female　Imperial　Valleys。　Her　accent　was　soft　country　Tennessee；　the　face　under　the　boy…cropped　blonde　hair　was　hard　as　stone。　She　was　holding　a　spectacularly　non…reg　Israeli　burp…gun　by　the　strap。　Freddy　wondered　where　she　had　gotten　such　a　thing；　then　decided　it　didn't　matter。　A　lot　of　things　had　ceased　to　matter；　most　of　them　in　the　last　hour　or　so。
　　　　'Joss；'　Freddy　said。　'What's　up　with　your　bad　self？'　'Delivering　two　Ripley　Positives　as　ordered。'　More　shooting　from　the　woods；　and　Freddy　saw　the　woman's　eyes　shift　minutely　in　that　direction。　She　wanted　to　get　back　over　there　across　the　road；　wa