mc.prey-第52节

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　〃No　。。。〃
　She　whispered；　〃You'll　get　us　all　killed。〃
　He　whispered；　〃I　promise。〃
　She　shook　her　head；　pointed　to　the　ground。　Sit。
　Finally；　Bobby　sat　down。
　Mae　looked　at　me。　I　nodded。　We　set　out　again。　By　now　we　were　twenty　feet　from　the　mound　itself。　The　smell　was　almost　overpowering。　My　stomach　churned；　I　was　afraid　I　might　be　sick。　And　this　close；　we　began　to　hear　the　deep　thrumming　sound。　More　than　anything　it　was　that　sound　that　made　me　want　to　run　away。　But　Mae　kept　going。
　We　crouched　down　as　we　climbed　the　mound；　and　then　lay　flat　along　the　rim。　I　could　see　Mae's　face　in　the　green　glow　ing　from　inside。　For　some　reason　the　stench　didn't　bother　me　anymore。　Probably　because　I　was　too　frightened。
　Mae　reached　into　the　side　pouch　of　her　pack；　and　withdrew　a　small　thumb…sized　camera　on　a　thin　telescoping　stick。　She　brought　out　a　tiny　LCD　screen　and　set　it　on　the　ground　between　us。　Then　she　slid　the　stick　over　the　rim。
　On　the　screen；　we　saw　a　green　interior　of　smooth　undulating　walls。　Nothing　seemed　to　be　moving。　She　turned　the　camera　this　way　and　that。　All　we　saw　were　green　walls。　There　was　no　sign　of　Rosie。
　Mae　looked　at　me；　pointed　to　her　eyes。　Want　to　take　a　look　now？
　I　nodded。
　We　inched　forward　slowly；　until　we　could　look　over　the　rim。
　It　wasn't　what　I　expected　at　all。
　The　mound　simply　narrowed　an　existing　opening　that　was　huge…twenty　feet　wide　or　more；　revealing　a　rock　slide　that　sloped　downward　from　the　rim　and　ended　at　a　gaping　hole　in　the　rock　to　our　right。　The　green　light　was　ing　from　somewhere　inside　this　gaping　hole。　What　I　was　seeing　was　the　entrance　to　a　very　large　cave。　From　our　position　on　the　rim；　we　couldn't　see　into　the　cave　itself；　but　the　thrumming　sound　suggested　activity　within。　Mae　opened　the　telescoping　stick　to　its　full　length；　and　gently　lowered　the　camera　into　the　hole。　Soon　we　could　see　farther　into　the　cave。　It　was　undoubtedly　natural；　and　large：　perhaps　eight　feet　high；　ten　feet　wide。　The　rock　walls　were　pale　white；　and　appeared　to　be　covered　with　the　milky　substance　we'd　seen　on　Rosie。
　And　Rosie's　body　was　only　a　short　distance　inside。　We　could　see　her　hand　sticking　out　around　a　bend　in　the　rock　wall。　But　we　could　see　nothing　beyond　the　bend。　Mae　signaled　me：　want　to　go　down？
　I　nodded　slowly。　I　didn't　like　how　this　felt；　I　didn't　like　that　I　had　no　idea　what　was　beyond　the　bend。　But　we　really　had　no　choice。
　She　pointed　back　toward　Bobby。　Get　him？
　I　shook　my　head；　no。　He　wouldn't　help　us　here。
　She　nodded；　and　started　very　slowly　to　slide　out　of　her　backpack；　making　no　sound　at　all；　when　she　suddenly　froze。　Literally　froze：　she　didn't　move　a　muscle。　I　looked　at　the　screen。　And　I　froze；　too。
　A　figure　had　walked　from　behind　the　bend；　and　now　stood　alertly　at　the　entrance　of　the　cave；　looking　around。
　It　was　Ricky。
　*　*　*
　He　was　behaving　as　if　he　had　heard　a　sound；　or　had　been　alerted　for　some　other　reason。　The　video　camera　still　dangled　down　the　rim　of　the　mound。　It　was　pretty　small；　I　didn't　know　if　he　would　see　it。
　I　watched　the　screen　tensely。
　The　camera　didn't　have　good　resolution　and　the　screen　was　the　size　of　my　palm；　but　it　was　still　clear　that　the　figure　was　Ricky。　I　didn't　understand　what　he　was　doing　here…or　even　how　he　had　gotten　here。　Then　another　man　came　around　the　bend。
　He　was　also　Ricky。
　I　glanced　at　Mae；　but　she　remained　utterly　still；　a　statue。　Only　her　eyes　moved。　I　squinted　at　the　screen。　Within　the　limits　of　video　resolution；　the　two　figures　appeared　to　be　identical　in　every　respect。　Same　clothes；　same　movements；　same　gestures　and　shrugs。　I　couldn't　see　the　faces　well；　but　I　had　the　impression　they　were　more　detailed　than　before。　They　didn't　seem　to　notice　the　camera。
　They　looked　up　at　the　sky；　and　then　at　the　rock　slide　for　a　while；　and　then　they　turned　their　backs　on　us；　and　returned　to　the　interior　of　the　cave。
　Still　Mae　did　not　move。　She　had　been　motionless　for　almost　a　minute　already　and　in　that　time　she　hadn't　even　blinked。　Now　the　men　were　gone；　and…
　Another　figure　came　around　the　corner。　It　was　David　Brooks。　He　moved　awkwardly；　stiffly　at　first；　but　he　quickly　became　more　fluid。　I　had　the　feeling　I　was　watching　a　puppeteer　perfect　his　moves；　animating　the　figure　in　a　more　lifelike　way。　Then　David　became　Ricky。　And　then　David　again。　And　the　David　figure　turned　and　went　away。
　Still　Mae　waited。　She　waited　fully　two　more　minutes；　and　then　finally　withdrew　the　camera。　She　jerked　her　thumb；　indicating　we　should　go　back。　Together；　we　crept　away　from　the　rim；　back　down　the　mound；　and　moved　away　silently　into　the　desert　night。　We　gathered　a　hundred　yards　to　the　west；　near　our　vehicles。　Mae　was　rummaging　in　her　backpack；　she　pulled　out　a　clipboard　with　a　felt　marker。　She　flicked　on　her　penlight　and　began　to　draw。
　〃This　is　what　you're　up　against；〃　she　said。　〃The　cave　has　an　opening　like　this；　which　you　saw。　Past　the　bend；　there's　a　big　hole　in　the　floor；　and　the　cave　spirals　downward　for　maybe　a　hundred　yards。　That　brings　you　into　one　large　chamber　that　is　maybe　a　hundred　feet　high；　and　a　couple　of　hundred　feet　wide。　Single　big　room；　that's　all。　There　are　no　passages　leading　off；　at　least　none　that　I　saw。〃
　〃That　you　saw？〃
　〃I've　been　in　there；〃　she　said；　nodding。
　〃When？〃
　〃A　couple　of　weeks　ago。　Back　when　we　first　started　looking　for　the　swarm's　hiding　place。　I　found　that　cave　and　went　in　there　in　day…light。　I　didn't　find　any　indication　of　a　swarm　then。〃　She　explained　that　the　cave　was　filled　with　bats；　the　whole　ceiling　covered　with　them；　packed　together　in　a　pink　squirming　mass；　all　the　way　out　to　the　entrance。　〃Ugh；〃　Bobby　said。　〃I　hate　bats。〃
　〃I　didn't　see　any　bats　there　tonight。〃
　〃You　think　they've　been　driven　away？〃
　〃Eaten；　probably。〃
　〃Jesus；　guys；〃　Bobby　said；　shaking　his　head。　〃I'm　just　a　programmer。　I　don't　think　I　can　do　this。　I　don't　think　I　can　go　in　there。〃
　Mae　ignored　him。　She　said　to　me；　〃If　we　go　in；〃　she　said；　〃we'll　have　to　set　off　thermite；　and　keep　doing　it　all　the　way　down　to　the　chamber。　I'm　not　sure　we　have　enough　thermite　to　do　that。〃
　〃Maybe　not；〃　I　said。　I　had　a　different　concern。　〃We're　wasting　our　time　unless　we　destroy　all　the　swarms；　and　all　the　assemblers　that　are　making　them。　Right？〃　They　both　nodded。
　〃I'm　not　sure　that'll　be　possible；〃　I　said。　〃I　thought　the　swarms　would　be　powered　down　at　night。　I　thought　we　could　destroy　them　on　the　ground。　But　they're　not　powered　down…at　least　not　all　of　them。　And　if　just　one　of　them　gets　past　us；　if　it　escapes　from　the　cave　。。。〃　I　shrugged。　〃Then　this　has　all　been　a　waste　of　time。〃
　〃Right；〃　Bobby　said；　nodding。　〃That's　right。　It'd　be　a　waste　of　time。〃
　Mae　said；　〃We　need　some　way　to　trap　them　in　the　cave。〃
　〃There　isn't　any　way；〃　Bobby　said。　〃I　mean；　they　can　just　fly　out；　whenever　they　want。〃　Mae　said；　〃There　might　be　a　way。〃　She　started　rummaging　in　her　backpack　again；　looking　for　something。　〃Meanwhile；　the　three　of　us　better　spread　out。〃
　〃Why？〃　Bobby　said；　alarmed。
　〃Just　do　it；〃　Mae　said。　〃Now　get　moving。〃
　I　tightened　my　backpack；　and　adjusted　the　straps　so　it　wouldn't　rattle。　I　locked　the　night…vision　goggles　up　on　my　forehead；　and　I　started　forward。　I　had　gotten　about　halfway　to　the　mound　when　I　saw　a　dark　figure　climb　out　into　the　night。
　I　dropped　down　as　quietly　as　I　could。　I　was　in　a　thick　patch　of　sagebrush　three　feet　high；　so　I　was　reasonably　well　concealed。　I　looked　over　my　shoulder；　but　I　didn't　see　either　Mae　or　Bobby；　they'd　dropped　to　the　ground；　too。　I　didn't　know　if　they'd　separated　yet。　Cautiously；　I　pushed　aside　a　plant　in　front　of　me；　and　looked　toward　the　mound。　The　legs　of　the　figure　were　silhouetted　against　the　faint　green　glow。　The　upper　body　was　black　against　the　night　stars。　I　flipped　down　the　goggles；　and　waited　a　moment　while　they　flared　blue；　and　then　saw　the　image　resolve。
　This　time　it　was　Rosie。　Walking　around　in　the　night；　looking　in　all　directions；　her　body　vigilant　and　alert。　Except　that　she　didn't　move　like　Rosie；　she　moved　more　like　a　man。　Then　after　a　moment；　the　silhouette　changed　into　Ricky。　And　it　moved　like　Ricky。　The　figure　crouched　down；　and　appeared　to　be　looking　over　the　tops　of　the　sage。　I　wondered　what　had　brought　it　out　of　the　mound。　I　didn't　have　to　wait　long　to　find　out。　Behind　the　figure；　a　white　light　appeared　on　the　western　horizon。　It　grew　rapidly　in　brilliance；　and　soon　I　heard　the　thumping　of　helicopter　blades。　That　would　be　Julia　ing　from　the　Valley；　I　thought。　I　wondered　what　was　so　urgent　that　she　had　had　to　leave　the　hospital　against　orders；　and　fly　out　here　in　the　middle　of　the　night。
　As　the　helicopter　approached；　it　switched　on　its　searchlight。　I　watched　the　circle　of　blue…white　light　as　it　rippled　over　the　ground　toward　us。　The　Ricky　figure　watched；　too；　then　slid　down　out　of　sight。
　And　then　the　helicopter　roared　over　me；　blinding　me　for　a　moment　in　the　halogen　light。　Almost　immediately　it　banked　sharply；　and　circled　back。
　What　the　hell　was　going　on？
　The　helicopter　made　a　slow　arc；　passing　over　the　mound　but　not　stopping；　then　ing　to　a　stop　right　above　where　I　was　hiding。　I　was　caught　in　the　blue　glow。　I　rolled　onto　my　back　and　waved　to　the　helicopter；　pointing　repeatedly　toward　the　lab。　I　mouthed　〃Go！〃　and　point