mc.prey-第57节

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e　turned　out　the　lights　and　taped　the　light　switch　in　the　off　position。　At　the　end　of　that　time；　exhaustion　hit　me　again。　I　looked　at　my　watch。　It　was　one　o'clock　in　the　morning。　I　said；　〃I　have　to　go　to　bed。〃
　〃We　should　all　get　some　sleep；〃　Julia　said。　〃We　can　revisit　this　in　the　morning。〃　We　all　headed　off　toward　the　residence　module。　Mae　sidled　up　alongside　me。　〃How　are　you　feeling？〃　she　said。
　〃Okay。　My　back's　starting　to　hurt　a　little。〃
　She　nodded。　〃You　better　let　me　take　a　look　at　it。〃
　〃Why？〃
　〃Just　let　me　take　a　look；　before　you　go　to　bed。〃
　〃Oh；　Jack；　darling；〃　Julia　cried。　〃You　poor　baby。〃
　〃What　is　it？〃
　I　was　sitting　on　the　kitchen　table　with　my　shirt　off。　Julia　and　Mae　were　behind　me；　clucking。
　〃What　is　it？〃　I　said　again。
　〃There's　some　blistering；〃　Mae　said。
　〃Blistering？〃　Julia　said。　〃His　whole　back　is　covered…〃
　〃I　think　we　have　dressings；〃　Mae　said；　interrupting　her；　reaching　for　the　first…aid　kit　beneath　the　sink。
　〃Yes；　I　hope　so。〃　Julia　smiled　at　me。　〃Jack；　I　can't　tell　you　how　sorry　I　am；　that　you　had　to　go　through　this。〃
　〃This　may　sting　a　little；〃　Mae　said。
　I　knew　that　Mae　wanted　to　talk　to　me　alone；　but　there　was　no　opportunity。　Julia　was　not　going　to　leave　us　alone　for　a　minute。　She　had　always　been　jealous　of　Mae；　even　years　ago　when　I　first　hired　Mae　in　my　pany；　and　now　she　was　peting　with　her　for　my　attention。　I　wasn't　flattered。
　The　dressings　were　cool　at　first；　as　Mae　applied　them；　but　within　moments　they　stung　bitterly。　I　winced。
　〃I　don't　know　what　painkillers　we　have；〃　Mae　said。　〃You've　got　a　good　area　of　second…degree　burns。〃
　Julia　rummaged　frantically　through　the　first…aid　kit；　tossing　contents　out　right　and　left。　Tubes　and　canisters　clattered　to　the　floor。　〃There's　morphine；〃　she　said　at　last；　holding　up　a　bottle。　She　smiled　at　me　brightly。　〃That　should　do　it！〃
　〃I　don't　want　morphine；〃　I　said。　What　I　really　wanted　to　say　was　that　I　wanted　her　to　go　to　bed。　Julia　was　annoying　me。　Her　frantic　edge　was　getting　on　my　nerves。　And　I　wanted　to　talk　to　Mae　alone。
　〃There's　nothing　else；〃　Julia　said；　〃except　aspirin。〃
　〃Aspirin　is　fine。〃
　〃I'm　worried　it　won't　be…〃
　〃Aspirin　is　fine。〃
　〃You　don't　have　to　bite　my　head　off。〃
　〃I'm　sorry。　I　don't　feel　well。〃
　〃Well；　I'm　only　trying　to　help。〃　Julia　stepped　back。　〃I　mean；　if　you　two　want　to　be　alone；　you　should　just　say　so。〃
　〃No；〃　I　said；　〃we　do　not　want　to　be　alone。〃
　〃Well；　I'm　only　trying　to　help。〃　She　turned　back　to　the　medicine　kit。　〃Maybe　there　is　something　else　。。。〃　Containers　of　tape　and　plastic　bottles　of　antibiotics　fell　to　the　floor。　〃Julia；〃　I　said。　〃Please　stop。〃
　〃What　am　I　doing？　What　am　I　doing　that　is　so　awful？〃
　〃Just　stop。〃
　〃I'm　only　trying　to　help。〃
　〃I　know　that。〃
　Behind　me；　Mae　said；　〃Okay。　All　finished　now。　That　should　hold　you　until　tomorrow。〃　She　yawned。　〃And　now；　if　you　don't　mind；　I'm　going　to　bed。〃
　I　thanked　her；　and　watched　her　leave　the　room。　When　I　turned　back；　Julia　was　holding　a　glass　of　water　and　two　aspirins　for　me。
　〃Thank　you；〃　I　said。
　〃I　never　liked　that　woman；〃　she　said。
　〃Let's　get　some　sleep；〃　I　said。
　〃There's　only　single　beds　here。〃
　〃I　know。〃
　She　moved　closer。　〃I'd　like　to　be　with　you；　Jack。〃
　〃I'm　really　tired。　I'll　see　you　in　the　morning；　Julia。〃
　I　went　back　to　my　room　and　looked　at　the　bed。　I　didn't　bother　taking　off　my　clothes。
　I　don't　remember　my　head　touching　the　pillow。
　　
　DAY　7　
　4：42　A。M。
　I　slept　restlessly；　with　constant　and　terrible　dreams。　I　dreamed　that　I　was　back　in　Monterey；　marrying　Julia　again；　and　I　was　standing　in　front　of　the　minister　when　she　came　up　alongside　me　in　her　bridal　gown；　and　when　she　lifted　the　veil　I　was　shocked　by　how　beautiful　and　young　and　slender　she　was。　She　smiled　at　me；　and　I　smiled　back；　trying　to　conceal　my　uneasiness。　Because　now　I　saw　she　was　more　than　slender；　her　face　was　thin；　almost　emaciated。　Almost　a　skull。　Then　I　turned　to　the　minister　in　front　of　us；　but　it　was　Mae；　and　she　was　pouring　colored　liquids　back　and　forth　in　test　tubes。　When　I　looked　back　at　Julia　she　was　very　angry；　and　said　she　never　liked　that　woman。　Somehow　it　was　my　fault。　I　was　to　blame。　I　woke　up　briefly；　sweating。　The　pillow　was　soaked。　I　turned　it　over；　and　went　back　to　sleep。　I　saw　myself　sleeping　on　the　bed；　and　I　looked　up　and　saw　that　the　door　to　my　room　was　open。　Light　came　in　from　the　hallway　outside。　A　shadow　fell　across　my　bed。　Ricky　came　into　the　room　and　looked　down　at　me。　His　face　was　backlit　and　dark；　I　couldn't　see　his　expression；　but　he　said；　〃I　always　loved　you；　Jack。〃　He　leaned　over　to　whisper　something　in　my　ear；　and　I　realized　as　his　head　came　down　that　he　was　going　to　kiss　me　instead。　He　was　going　to　kiss　me　on　the　lips；　passionately。　His　mouth　was　open。　His　tongue　licked　his　lips。　I　was　very　upset；　I　didn't　know　what　to　do；　but　at　that　moment　Julia　came　in　and　said；　〃What's　going　on？〃　and　Ricky　hastily　pulled　away；　and　made　some　kind　of　evasive　ment。　Julia　was　very　angry　and　said；　〃Not　now；　you　fool；〃　and　Ricky　made　another　evasive　ment。　And　then　Julia　said；　〃This　is　pletely　unnecessary；　it　will　take　care　of　itself。〃　And　Ricky　said；　〃There　are　constriction　coefficients　for　deterministic　algorithms　if　you　do　interval　global　optimization。〃　And　she　said；　〃It　won't　hurt　you　if　you　don't　fight　it。〃　She　turned　on　the　light　in　the　room　and　walked　out。　Then　I　was　suddenly　back　in　my　Monterey　wedding；　Julia　was　standing　beside　me　in　white；　and　I　turned　to　look　back　at　the　audience；　and　I　saw　my　three　kids　sitting　in　the　first　row；　smiling　and　happy。　And　as　I　watched　a　black　line　appeared　around　their　mouths；　and　swept　down　their　bodies；　until　they　were　cloaked　in　black。　They　continued　to　smile；　but　I　was　horrified。　I　ran　to　them；　but　I　couldn't　rub　the　black　cloak　off。　And　Nicole　said　calmly；　〃Don't　forget　the　sprinklers；　Dad。〃
　I　woke　up；　tangled　up　in　the　sheets；　drenched　in　sweat。　The　door　to　my　room　was　open。　A　rectangle　of　light　fell　across　my　bed　from　the　hallway　outside。　I　looked　over　at　the　workstation　monitor。　It　said　〃4：55　A。M。〃　I　closed　my　eyes　and　lay　there　for　a　while；　but　I　couldn't　go　back　to　sleep。　I　was　wet　and　unfortable。　I　decided　to　take　a　shower。　Shortly　before　five　in　the　morning；　I　got　out　of　bed。
　The　hallway　was　silent。　I　walked　down　the　corridor　to　the　bathrooms。　The　doors　to　all　the　bedrooms　were　open；　which　seemed　strange。　I　could　see　everybody　sleeping　as　I　walked　past。　And　the　lights　were　on　in　all　the　bedrooms。　I　saw　Ricky　asleep；　and　I　saw　Bobby；　and　I　saw　Julia；　and　Vince。　Mae's　bed　was　empty。　And　of　course　Charley's　bed　was　empty。　I　stopped　in　the　kitchen　to　get　a　ginger　ale　from　the　refrigerator。　I　was　very　thirsty；　my　throat　painful　and　parched。　And　my　stomach　felt　a　little　queasy。　I　looked　at　the　champagne　bottle。　I　suddenly　had　a　funny　feeling　about　it；　as　if　it　might　have　been　tampered　with。　I　took　it　out　and　looked　closely　at　the　cap；　at　the　metal　foil　that　covered　the　cork。　It　looked　entirely　normal。　No　tampering；　no　needle　marks；　no　nothing。
　Just　a　bottle　of　champagne。
　I　put　it　back　and　closed　the　refrigerator　door。
　I　began　to　wonder　if　I　had　been　unfair　to　Julia。　Maybe　she　really　did　believe　she'd　made　a　mistake　and　wanted　to　put　things　right。　Maybe　she　just　wanted　to　show　her　gratitude。　Maybe　I　was　being　too　tough　on　her。　Too　unforgiving。
　Because　when　you　thought　about　it；　what　had　she　done　that　was　suspicious　or　wrong？　She'd　been　glad　to　see　me；　even　if　she　was　over　the　top。　She'd　accepted　responsibility　for　the　experiment；　and　she'd　apologized　for　it。　She'd　immediately　agreed　to　make　the　call　to　the　Army。　She'd　agreed　with　my　plan　to　kill　the　swarm　in　the　m　room。　She'd　done　everything　she　could　do　to　show　she　supported　me；　and　was　on　my　side。
　But　I　still　was　uneasy。
　And　of　course　there　was　the　matter　of　Charley　and　his　swarm。　Ricky's　idea　that　Charley　had　somehow　been　carrying　the　swarm　inside　his　body；　in　his　mouth　or　under　his　armpit　or　something；　didn't　make　a　lot　of　sense　to　me。　Those　swarms　killed　within　seconds。　So　it　left　a　question…how　did　the　swarm　get　into　the　m　room　with　Charley？　Did　it　get　in　from　outside？　Why　hadn't　it　attacked　Julia　and　Ricky　and　Vince？
　I　forgot　about　my　shower。
　I　decided　to　go　down　to　the　utility　room；　and　look　around　outside　the　m　room　door。　Maybe　there　was　something　I　had　missed。　Julia　had　been　talking　a　lot；　interrupting　my　train　of　thought。　Almost　as　if　she　hadn't　wanted　me　to　figure　something　out　。。。
　There　I　was　again；　being　hard　on　Julia。
　I　went　through　the　airlock；　down　the　corridor；　through　another　airlock。　When　you　were　tired；　it　was　annoying　to　have　that　wind　blowing　on　you。　I　came　out　into　the　utility　area；　and　went　toward　the　m　room　door。　I　didn't　notice　anything。
　I　heard　the　sound　of　a　clicking　keyboard；　and　looked　into　the　biology　lab。　Mae　was　there；　at　her　workstation。
　I　said；　〃What　are　you　doing？〃
　〃Checking　the　video　playback。〃
　〃I　thought　we　couldn't　do　that；　because　Charley　pulled　the　wires。〃
　〃That's　what　Ricky　said。　But　it　isn't　true。〃
　I　started　to　e　around　the　lab　bench；　to　look　over　her　shoulder。　She　held　up　her　hand。
　〃Jack；〃　she　said。　〃Maybe　you　don't　want　to　look　at　this。〃
　〃What？　Why　not？〃
　〃It's；　uh　。。。　maybe　you　don't　want　t