mc.prey-第45节

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en　if　it　was　unlikely　to　happen；　David　would　never　be　caught　unprepared。　He'd　never　be　flagging　down　cars　asking　if　they　had　a　wire　hanger　he　could　borrow。　No；　no。　David　would　have　hidden　a　key。　Probably　in　one　of　those　magnetic　key　boxes。　I　started　to　lie　down　on　my　back　to　look　underneath　the　car　when　it　occurred　to　me　that　David　would　never　get　his　clothes　dirty　just　to　retrieve　a　key。　He'd　hide　it　cleverly；　but　within　easy　reach。　With　that　in　mind；　I　ran　my　fingers　along　the　inside　of　the　front　bumpers。　Nothing。　I　went　to　the　back　bumper；　did　the　same。　Nothing。　I　felt　under　the　running　boards　on　both　sides　of　the　car。　Nothing。　No　magnetic　box；　no　key。　I　couldn't　believe　it；　so　I　got　down　and　looked　under　the　car；　to　see　if　there　was　a　brace　or　a　strut　I　had　somehow　missed　with　my　fingers。　No；　there　wasn't。　I　felt　no　key。
　I　shook　my　head；　puzzled。　The　hiding　place　needed　to　be　steel　for　the　magnetic　box。　And　it　needed　to　be　protected　from　the　elements。　That　was　why　almost　everybody　hid　their　keys　inside　the　car　bumpers。
　David　hadn't　done　that。
　Where　else　could　you　hide　a　key？
　I　walked　around　the　car　again；　looking　at　the　smooth　lines　of　the　metal。　I　ran　my　fingers　around　the　front　grill　opening；　and　under　the　back　license　plate　indentation。　No　key。
　I　started　to　sweat。　It　wasn't　only　the　tension：　by　now　I　could　definitely　feel　the　drop　in　the　wind。　I　went　back　to　Charley；　who　was　still　sitting　on　the　sideboard。
　〃How　you　doing；　Charley？〃
　He　didn't　answer；　just　gave　a　little　shrug。　I　took　his　headset　off；　and　put　it　on。　I　heard　static；　and　voices　talking　softly。　It　sounded　like　Ricky　and　Bobby；　and　it　sounded　like　an　argument。　I　pulled　the　mouthpiece　near　my　lips　and　said；　〃Guys？　Speak　to　me。〃
　A　pause。　Bobby；　surprised：　〃Jack？〃
　〃That's　right　。。。〃
　〃Jack；　you　can't　stay　there。　The　wind's　been　falling　steadily　for　the　last　few　minutes。　It's　only　ten　knots　now。〃
　〃Okay　。。。〃
　〃Jack；　you've　got　to　e　back　in。〃
　〃I　can't　just　yet。〃
　〃Below　seven　knots；　the　swarms　can　move。〃
　〃Okay　。。。〃
　Ricky：　〃What　do　you　mean；　okay？　Jesus；　Jack；　are　you　ing　in　or　not？〃
　〃I　can't　carry　Charley。〃
　〃You　knew　that　when　you　went　out。〃
　〃Uh…huh。〃
　〃Jack。　What　the　hell　are　you　doing？〃
　I　heard　the　whirr　of　the　video　monitor　in　the　corner　of　the　shed。　I　looked　over　the　roof　of　the　car　and　saw　the　lens　rotate　as　they　zoomed　in　on　me。　The　Toyota　was　such　a　big　car；　it　almost　blocked　my　view　of　the　camera。　And　the　ski　rack　on　top　made　it　even　higher。　I　vaguely　wondered　why　David　had　a　ski　rack；　because　he　didn't　ski；　he　always　hated　cold。　The　rack　must　have　e　with　the　car　as　standard　equipment　and…
　I　swore。　It　was　so　obvious。
　There　was　only　one　place　I　hadn't　checked。　I　jumped　up　on　the　running　board　and　looked　at　the　roof　of　the　car。　I　ran　my　fingers　over　the　ski　rack；　and　along　the　parallel　tracks　bolted　to　the　roof。　My　fingers　touched　black　tape　against　the　black　rack。　I　pulled　the　tape　away；　and　saw　a　silver　key。
　〃Jack？　Nine　knots。〃
　〃Okay。〃
　I　dropped　back　down　to　the　ground；　and　climbed　in　the　driver's　seat。　I　put　the　key　in　the　lock　box　and　twisted　it。　The　box　opened。　Inside　I　found　a　small　yellow　key。　〃Jack？　What're　you　doing？〃
　I　hurried　around　to　the　back　of　the　car。　I　fitted　the　yellow　key　in　the　ignition。　I　straddled　the　bike　and　started　it　up。　The　motor　rumbled　loudly　under　the　corrugated　shed。
　〃Jack？〃
　I　walked　the　bike　around　the　side　of　the　car　to　where　Charley　was　sitting。　That　was　going　to　be　the　tricky　part。　The　bike　didn't　have　a　kickstand；　I　moved　as　close　to　Charley　as　I　could　and　then　tried　to　support　him　enough　that　he　could　climb　onto　the　backseat　while　I　still　sat　on　the　bike　and　kept　it　upright。　Fortunately；　he　seemed　to　understand　what　I　was　doing；　I　got　him　in　place　and　told　him　to　hold　on　to　me。
　Bobby　Lembeck：　〃Jack？　They're　here。〃
　〃Where？〃
　〃South　side。　ing　toward　you。〃
　〃Okay。〃
　I　gunned　the　motor；　and　pulled　the　passenger　door　shut。　And　I　stayed　exactly　where　I　was。
　〃Jack？〃
　Ricky：　〃What's　the　matter　with　him？　He　knows　what　the　danger　is。〃
　Bobby：　〃I　know。〃
　〃He's　just　sitting　there。〃
　Charley　had　his　hands　around　my　waist。　His　head　was　on　my　shoulder。　I　could　hear　his　raspy　breathing。　I　said；　〃Hold　tight；　Charley。〃　He　nodded。
　Ricky：　〃Jack？　What're　you　doing？〃
　Then　at　my　ear；　in　a　voice　just　above　a　whisper；　Charley　said；　〃Fucking　idiot。〃
　〃Yes。〃　I　nodded。　I　waited。　I　could　see　the　swarms　now；　ing　around　the　building。　This　time　there　were　nine　swarms；　and　they　headed　straight　for　me　in　a　V　formation。　Their　own　flocking　behavior。
　Nine　swarms；　I　thought。　Soon　there　would　be　thirty　swarms；　and　then　two　hundred　。。。
　Bobby：　〃Jack；　do　you　see　them？〃
　〃I　see　them。〃　Of　course　I　saw　them。
　And　of　course　they　were　different　from　before。　They　were　denser　now；　the　columns　thicker　and　more　substantial。　Those　swarms　didn't　weigh　three　pounds　anymore。　I　sensed　they　were　closer　to　ten　or　twenty　pounds。　Maybe　even　more　than　that。　Maybe　thirty　pounds。　They　would　have　real　weight　now；　and　real　substance。
　I　waited。　I　stayed　where　I　was。　Some　detached　part　of　my　brain　was　wondering　what　the　formation　would　do　when　it　reached　me。　Would　they　circle　me？　Would　some　of　the　swarms　hang　back　and　wait？　What　did　they　make　of　the　noisy　bike？
　Nothing…they　came　right　for　me；　flattening　the　V　into　a　line；　then　into　a　kind　of　inverted　V。　I　could　hear　the　deep　vibrating　hum。　With　so　many　swarms　it　was　much　louder。　The　swirling　columns　were　twenty　yards　away　from　me；　then　ten。　Were　they　able　to　move　faster　now；　or　was　it　my　imagination？　I　waited　until　they　were　almost　upon　me　before　I　twisted　the　throttle　and　raced　forward。　I　passed　straight　through　the　lead　swarm；　into　the　blackness　and　out　again；　and　then　I　was　gunning　for　the　power　station　door；　bouncing　over　the　desert；　not　daring　to　look　back　over　my　shoulder。　It　was　a　wild　ride；　and　it　only　lasted　a　few　seconds。　As　we　reached　the　power　station；　I　dropped　the　bike；　put　my　shoulder　under　Charley's　arm；　and　staggered　the　final　step　or　two　to　the　door。
　The　swarms　were　still　fifty　yards　away　from　the　door　when　I　managed　to　turn　the　knob；　pull；　get　one　foot　in　the　crack；　and　kick　the　door　open　the　rest　of　the　way。　When　I　did　that　I　lost　my　balance；　and　Charley　and　I　more　or　less　fell　through　the　door　onto　the　concrete。　The　door　came　swinging　shut；　and　whanged　into　our　legs；　which　hung　outside。　I　felt　a　sharp　pain　in　my　ankles…but　worse；　the　door　was　still　open；　kept　ajar　by　our　legs。　Through　the　opening　I　could　see　the　swarms　approaching。
　I　scrambled　to　my　feet　and　dragged　Charley's　inert　body　into　the　room。　The　door　shut；　but　I　knew　it　was　a　fire　door；　and　it　wasn't　airtight。　Nanoparticles　could　e　right　in。　I　had　to　get　both　of　us　into　the　airlock。　We　wouldn't　be　safe　until　the　first　set　of　glass　doors　had　hissed　shut。　Grunting　and　sweating；　I　hauled　Charley　into　the　airlock。　I　got　him　into　a　sitting　position；　propped　up　against　the　side　blowers。　That　cleared　his　feet　of　the　glass　doors。　And　because　only　one　person　could　be　in　the　airlock　at　a　time；　I　stepped　back　outside。　And　I　waited　for　the　doors　to　close。
　But　they　didn't　close。
　I　looked　on　the　side　wall　for　some　sort　of　button；　but　I　didn't　see　anything。　The　lights　were　on　inside　the　airlock；　so　it　was　getting　power。　But　the　doors　didn't　close。　And　I　knew　the　swarms　were　fast　approaching。
　Bobby　Lembeck　and　Mae　came　running　into　the　far　room。　I　saw　them　through　the　second　set　of　glass　doors。　They　were　waving　their　arms；　making　big　gestures；　apparently　indicating　for　me　to　e　back　into　the　airlock。　But　that　didn't　make　sense。　Into　my　headset；　I　said；　〃I　thought　you　had　to　go　one　at　a　time。〃
　They　didn't　have　headsets；　and　couldn't　hear　me。　They　were　waving　frantically；　e　in；　e　in。
　I　held　up　two　fingers　questioningly。
　They　shook　their　heads。　They　seemed　to　be　indicating　I　was　missing　the　point。　At　my　feet；　I　saw　the　nanoparticles　begin　to　e　into　the　room　like　black　steam。　They　were　ing　through　the　edges　of　the　fire　door。　I　had　only　five　or　ten　seconds　now。　I　stepped　back　in　the　airlock。　Bobby　and　Mae　were　nodding；　approving。　But　the　doors　did　not　close。　Now　they　were　making　other　gestures；　lifting。
　〃You　want　me　to　lift　Charley？〃
　They　did。　I　shook　my　head。　Charley　was　slumped　there　in　a　sitting　position；　a　dead　weight　on　the　ground。　I　looked　back　at　the　anteroom；　and　saw　it　was　filling　with　black　particles；　starting　to　form　a　grayish　mist　in　the　air。　The　grayish　mist　was　ing　into　the　airlock　as　well。　I　felt　the　first　tiny　pinpricks　on　my　skin。
　I　looked　at　Bobby　and　Mae；　on　the　other　side　of　the　glass。　They　could　see　what　was　happening；　they　knew　only　seconds　remained。　They　were　again　making　gestures：　lift　Charley　up。　I　bent　over　him；　got　my　hands　under　his　armpits。　I　tried　to　haul　him　to　his　feet；　but　he　didn't　budge。
　〃Charley；　for　God's　sake；　help。〃　Groaning；　I　tried　again。　Charley　kicked　his　legs　and　pushed　with　his　arms　and　I　got　him　a　couple　of　feet　off　the　ground。　Then　he　slid　back　down。　〃Charley；　e　on；　once　more　。。。〃　I　pulled　up　as　hard　as　I　could；　and　this　time　he　helped　a　lot　and　we　got　his　legs　back　under　him　and　with　a　final　heave；　got　him　standing。　I　kept　my　hands　under　his　armpits；　we　were　in　a　kind　of　crazy　lover