wt.theyearofthequietsun-第35节
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n a dusty paper sheath； prepared by a dry cleaner now many years behind him； and his shoes were on the bottom beneath the suit。 An automatic pistol…put there at the insistence of Arthur Saltus…now was an ungainly lump in the pocket of his jacket。
The weapon underscored his apprehension。
Chaney didn't bother to check his watch： it lacked an illuminated dial and there was nothing to be seen on the wall。 He quit the darkened room。
He moved slowly down the corridor in a black eerie silence to the shelter； dust stirrea up by his feet made him want to sneeze。 The shelter door was found by touch and pushed open but the overhead lights failed in their automatic response。 Chaney felt for the manual switch beside the door； flicked it； but stayed in darkness： the electric power was out and the lecturing engineer was a liar。 He listened intently to the unseen room。 He had no matches or lighter…the penalty paid by a non…smoker when light or fire was needed…and stood there for a moment of indecision； trying to recall where the smaller items were stored。 He thought they were in metal lockers along the far wall； near the racks of heavy clothing。
Chaney shuffled across the floor； wishing he had that cocksure engineer here with him。
His feet collided with an empty carton； startling him； and he kicked it out of the way。 It struck another object before it came to rest： Saltus had plained of sloppy housekeeping； and Katrina had written a memo。 After a period of cautious groping the ungainly bulge in his jacket pocket struck the leading edge of the bench； and he put forth both hands to explore the working surface。 A radio…plugged in and wired to the antenna…a lantern； a few small empty boxes； a large one； a number of metal objects his fingers could not finmediately identify； and a second lantern。 Chaney barely hesitated over the objects and continued his probe。 His roving fingers found a box of matches； the fuel tanks of both lanterns jostled with reassuring sounds。 He lit the two lanterns and turned to look at the room。 Chaney didn't like to think of himself as a coward but his hand rested in the gun pocket as he turned and peered into the gloom。
The raider had returned to pilfer the stores。
From the looks of the place the man must have spent the last few winters here； or had invited his friends in with him。
A third lantern rested on the floor near the door and he would have knocked that one over if he had stepped sideways in the darkness。 A box of matches lay ready beside it。 An incredible number of empty food cartons were stacked along a wall together with a collection of water cans； and he wondered why the man hadn't hauled the boxes outside and burned them to be rid of an untidy mess。 Chaney counted the cans and boxes with growing wonder and tried to guess at the many years separating Arthur Saltus from his own recent arrival。 That reminded him to look at his watch： five minutes before nine。 He had the uneasy suspicion that the TDV had sent him askew once again。 A plastic bag had been opened…as Saltus had reported…and a number of winter garments were missing from the racks。 Several pairs of boots were gone from their shelves。 The bundle of mittens was broken open and one had fallen to the floor； unnoticed in the darkness。
But there was no spilled food on the floor despite the litter of cartons and cans； every scrap had been taken up and used。 Nor were there signs of mice or rats。
He whirled to the gun rack。 Five rifles had been taken plus an undetermined number of the Army…issue automatics。 He supposed…without count…that an appropriate amount of ammunition had gone with them。 Major Moresby and Saltus would have accounted for two of the rifles。
The tiny metal objects on the workbench were the insignia Moresby had removed from his uniform； and Saltus had explained the reason for their removal in bat zones。 The empty boxes had contained reels of tape； nylon film； and cartridges； the one remaining larger box was his bullet…proof vest。 The map revealed the usual layer of dust。 The radio was now useless…unless the supply of batteries had survived the intervening years。
Years： time。
Chaney picked up both lanterns and walked back to the room housing the TDV。 He crossed to the far wall and bent down to read the calendar and clock。 Each had stopped when the power line went out。
The clock read a few minutes of twelve noon； or twelve midnight。 The calendar 'stopped measuring time on 4 Mar 09。 Only the thermometer gave a meaningful reading： 52 degrees。
Eight and one half years after Arthur Saltus lived his disastrous fiftieth birthday； ten years after Major Moresby died in the skirmish at the fence； the nuclear power plant serving the laboratory failed or the lines were destroyed。 They may have destroyed themselves for lack of replacement； the transformers may have blown out； the nuclear fuel may have been used up； any one or a hundred things could have happened to interrupt transmission。 The power was gone。
Chaney had no idea how long ago it had failed： he knew only that he was somewhere beyond March 2009。
The outage may have happened last week； last month； last year； or at any time during the last hundred years。 He hadn't asked the engineers the precise date of his target but had assumed they would fling him into the future one year following Saltus； to reconnoiter the station。 The assumption was wrong…or the vehicle had strayed once more。 Chaney ruefully concluded that it didn't matter； it really didn't matter at all。 The ill…starred survey was nearly finished； it would be finished as soon as he made a final tour of the station and went back with his report。
He carried the lanterns back to the shelter。
The radio took his attention。 Chaney dug out a sealed carton of batteries and fitted the required number into the conversion unit。 The band selector was swept over the military channels and back again； without result。 He turned up the gain to peak and held the instrument to his ear but it refused to give him even the airy whisper of dead air； the lack of hiss or static told him that the batteries had not survived the passage of time。 Chaney dismissed the radio as of no further value and prepared himself for the target。
He was disappointed there was no note from Katrina； as he'd found on the field trial。
The bullet…proof vest went on first。 Arthur Saltus had warned him of that； had shown him the valued protection of that： Saltus lived only because he'd worn one。
Because he didn't know the season of the year…only the temperature…Chaney donned a pair of boots and helped himself to a heavy coat and a pair of mittens。 He picked out a rifle； loaded it as Moresby had taught him to do； and emptied a box of cartridges in his pocket。 The map was of no interest： the probes into Joliet and Chicago had been hastily cancelled and now he was restricted to the station itself。 Check it out quickly and jump for home base。 Katrina had said the President and his Cabinet were awaiting a final report before concluding a course of remedial action。 They called it 〃formulating a policy of positive polarization；〃 whatever that was。
A last tour of the station and the survey was ended； that much of the future would be known and mapped。
Chaney slung a canteen of water over his shoulder； then stuffed a knapsack with rations and matches and hung it from the other shoulder； he didn't expect to be outside long enough to use either one。 He was pleased the aged batteries didn't work…that was excuse enough to leave radio and recorder behind…but he fitted film into the camera because Gilbert Seabrooke had asked for a record of the destruction of the station。 The verbal description offered by Saltus had been a depressing one。 One last searching examination of the room gave him no other article he thought he would need。
Chaney licked his lips； now dry with apprehension； and quit the shelter。
The corridor ended and a flight of stairs led up to the operations exit。 The painted sign prohibiting the carrying of arms beyond the door had been defaced： a large slash of black paint was smeared from the first sentence to the last； half obliterating the words and voiding the warning。 Chaney noted the time； and set the two lanterns down on the top step to await his return。 He fitted the keys into the twin locks and stepped out hesitantly into the open air。
The day was bright with sunshine but sharply chill。 The sky was new； blue； and clear of aircraft； it looked freshly scrubbed； a different sky than the hazy polluted one he had known almost all his life。 Patches of light frost clung to the protected spots not yet touched by the sun。
His watch read 9：30； and he guessed the time was about right…the bright morning outside was still new。
A two…wheeled cart waited in the parking lot。
Chaney eyed the crude apparition； prepared for almost anything but that。 The cart was not too skillfully made； having been put together with used lumber； an axle； and a pair of wheels taken from one of the small electric cars Saltus had described。 Strands of machine wire had been employed to hold the four sides together where nails failed to do an adequate job； and to fasten the bed to the axl
