mc.prey-第59节

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　the　wall。　He　lifted　the　receiver。　Ricky　came　forward；　very　quickly；　his　body　a　blur；　and　slammed　the　phone　down。　He　shoved　Charley　back…hard。　Ricky's　strength　was　surprising。　Charley　was　a　big　guy；　but　he　went　down　to　the　floor；　and　skidded　backward　a　few　feet。　Charley　got　to　his　feet；　continued　to　yell；　then　he　turned　and　ran　out　of　the　room。
　Julia　and　Ricky　exchanged　a　glance。　Julia　said　something　to　him。
　Immediately；　Ricky　ran　after　Charley。
　Julia　ran　after　Ricky。
　〃Where　are　they　going？〃　I　said。
　Mae　released　the　hold　button；　and　the　screen　flashed　〃Updating　Time；〃　and　then　we　started　seeing　images　from　all　the　cameras　again；　in　sequence。　We　saw　Charley　running　down　a　corridor；　and　we　saw　Ricky　start　after　him。　We　waited　impatiently　for　the　next　cycle。　But　nobody　was　visible　there。
　Another　cycle。　Then　we　saw　Charley　in　the　utility　room；　dialing　the　phone。　He　glanced　over　his　shoulder。　A　moment　later；　Ricky　came　in；　and　Charley　hung　up　the　phone。　They　argued；　circling　around　each　other。
　Charley　picked　up　a　shovel；　and　swung　it　at　Ricky。　The　first　time　Ricky　dodged　away。　The　second　time　it　caught　him　on　the　shoulder　and　knocked　him　to　the　floor。　Charley　swung　the　shovel　over　his　head；　and　slammed　it　down　on　Ricky's　head。　The　gesture　was　brutal；　the　intention　clearly　murderous。　Ricky　managed　to　duck　back　just　as　the　shovel　smashed　onto　the　concrete。
　〃My　God　。。。〃　Mae　said。
　Ricky　was　getting　to　his　feet；　when　Charley　turned　and　saw　Julia　enter　the　room。　Julia　held　out　her　hand；　pleading　with　Charley　（to　put　down　the　shovel？）。　Charley　looked　from　one　of　them　to　the　other。　And　then　Vince　entered　the　room；　too。　Now　that　they　were　all　in　the　room；　he　seemed　to　lose　his　urge　to　fight。　They　were　circling　him；　closing　in。　Suddenly　Charley　dashed　for　the　m　room；　stepped　inside；　and　tried　to　shut　the　door　behind　him。　Ricky　was　on　him　in　a　flash。　He　had　his　foot　in　the　door　and　Charley　couldn't　get　it　closed。　Charley's　face　looked　angry　through　the　glass。　Vince　came　right　alongside　Ricky。　With　both　of　them　at　the　door；　I　couldn't　see　what　was　happening。　Julia　seemed　to　be　giving　orders。　I　thought　I　saw　her　reach　her　hand　through　the　crack　in　the　door；　but　it　was　difficult　to　be　sure。　In　any　case；　the　door　opened；　and　both　Vince　and　Ricky　entered　the　room。　The　action　that　came　next　was　swift；　blurred　on　the　video；　but　apparently　the　three　men　were　fighting；　and　Ricky　managed　to　get　behind　Charley；　and　get　him　in　a　hammerlock；　Vince　pulled　Charley's　arm　behind　his　back；　and　together　the　two　men　subdued　Charley。　He　stopped　fighting。　The　image　was　less　blurred。
　〃What's　happening？〃　Mae　said。　〃They　never　told　us　any　of　this。〃　Ricky　and　Vince　were　holding　Charley　from　behind。　Charley　was　panting；　his　chest　heaving；　but　he　no　longer　struggled。　Julia　came　into　the　room。　She　looked　at　Charley；　and　had　some　conversation　with　him。
　And　then　Julia　walked　up　to　Charley；　and　kissed　him　full　and　long　on　the　lips。　Charley　struggled；　tried　to　wrench　away。　Vince　grabbed　a　fistful　of　Charley's　hair　and　tried　to　hold　his　head　steady。　Julia　continued　to　kiss　him。　Then　she　stepped　away；　and　as　she　did　I　saw　a　river　of　black　between　her　mouth　and　Charley's。　It　was　only　there　for　a　moment；　and　then　it　faded。
　〃Oh　my　God；〃　Mae　said。
　Julia　wiped　her　lips；　and　smiled。
　Charley　sagged；　dropped　to　the　ground。　He　appeared　dazed。　A　black　cloud　came　out　of　his　mouth；　and　swirled　around　his　head。　Vince　patted　him　on　the　head　and　left　the　room。　Ricky　went　over　to　the　panels…and　pulled　out　wiring　by　the　handful。　He　literally　ripped　the　panels　apart。　Then　he　turned　back　to　Charley；　said　something　else；　and　walked　out　of　the　m　room。
　At　once　Charley　sprang　to　his　feet；　closed　the　door；　and　locked　it。　But　Ricky　and　Julia　just　laughed；　as　if　this　was　a　futile　gesture。　Charley　sagged　again；　and　from　then　on　he　was　out　of　sight。
　Ricky　threw　his　arm　around　Julia's　shoulder；　and　they　walked　out　of　the　room　together。
　〃Well；　you　two　are　certainly　up　bright　and　early！〃
　I　turned。
　Julia　was　standing　in　the　doorway。
　　
　DAY　7　
　5：12　A。M。
　She　came　forward　into　the　room；　smiling。　〃You　know；　Jack；〃　she　said；　〃if　I　didn't　trust　you　so　pletely；　I'd　think　there　was　something　going　on　between　the　two　of　you。〃
　〃Really；〃　I　said。　I　stepped　away　from　Mae　a　little；　while　she　typed　quickly。　I　felt　tremendously　uneasy。　〃Why　would　you　think　that？〃
　〃Well；　you　had　your　heads　together　about　something；〃　she　said；　as　she　came　toward　us。　〃You　looked　quite　fascinated　by　what　you　were　seeing　on　the　screen。　What're　you　looking　at；　anyway？〃
　〃It's　ah；　technical。〃
　〃May　I　see？　I'm　interested　in　technical　things。　Didn't　Ricky　tell　you　I　had　a　new　technical　interest？　I　do。　I'm　fascinated　by　this　technology。　It's　a　new　world；　isn't　it？　The　twenty…first　century　has　arrived。　Don't　get　up；　Mae。　I'll　just　look　over　your　shoulder。〃　By　now　she　had　walked　around　the　bench；　and　could　see　the　screen。　She　frowned　at　the　image；　which　showed　bacterial　cultures　on　a　red　growth　medium。　White　circles　within　red　circles。　〃What's　this？〃
　Mae　said；　〃Bacterial　colonies。　We've　got　some　contamination　of　the　coli　stock。　I　had　to　take　one　tank　offline。　We're　trying　to　figure　out　what's　wrong。〃
　〃Probably　phage；　don't　you　think？〃　Julia　said。　〃Isn't　that　what　it　usually　is　with　bacterial　stocks…a　virus？〃　She　sighed。　〃Everything　about　molecular　manufacturing　is　so　delicate。　Things　go　wrong　so　easily；　and　so　often。　You　have　to　keep　alert　for　trouble。〃　She　glanced　at　me；　and　at　Mae。　〃But　surely　this　isn't　what　you've　been　looking　at　all　this　time　。。。〃
　〃Actually；　it　is；〃　I　said。
　〃What？　Pictures　of　mold？〃
　〃Bacteria。〃
　〃Yes；　bacteria。　You've　been　looking　at　this　the　whole　time；　Mae？〃
　She　shrugged；　nodded。　〃Yes；　Julia。　It's　my　job。〃
　〃And　I　don't　question　your　dedication　for　a　moment；〃　Julia　said。　〃But　do　you　mind？〃　Her　hand　darted　forward　and　hit　the　back　key　in　the　corner　of　the　keyboard。　The　previous　screen　showed　more　pictures　of　bacterial　growth。
　The　next　screen　showed　a　virus　electron　micrograph。
　And　then　a　table　of　growth　data　over　the　last　twelve　hours。
　Julia　continued　to　hit　the　back　key　half　a　dozen　times　more；　but　all　she　saw　were　images　of　bacteria　and　viruses；　graphs；　and　data　tables。　She　took　her　hand　away　from　the　keyboard。　〃You　seem　to　be　devoting　a　lot　of　time　to　this。　Is　it　really　so　important？〃
　〃Well；　it's　a　contaminant；〃　Mae　said。　〃If　we　don't　control　it；　we'll　have　to　shut　down　the　entire　system。〃
　〃Then　by　all　means　keep　at　it。〃　She　turned　to　me。　〃Want　to　have　breakfast？　I'd　imagine　you　must　be　starving。〃
　〃Sounds　great；〃　I　said。
　〃e　with　me；〃　Julia　said。　〃We'll　make　it　together。〃
　〃Okay；〃　I　said。　I　glanced　at　Mae。　〃I'll　see　you　later。　Let　me　know　if　I　can　do　anything　to　help。〃
　I　left　with　Julia。　We　started　down　the　corridor　to　the　residences。
　〃I　don't　know　why；〃　Julia　said；　〃but　that　woman　bothers　me。〃
　〃I　don't　know　why　either。　She's　very　good。　Very　thoughtful；　very　conscientious。〃
　〃And　very　pretty。〃
　〃Julia　。。。〃
　〃Is　that　why　you　won't　kiss　me？　Because　you're　involved　with　her？〃
　〃Julia；　for　Christ's　sake。〃
　She　stared　at　me；　waiting。
　〃Look；〃　I　said。　〃It's　been　a　rough　couple　of　weeks　for　everybody。　Frankly；　you've　been　difficult　to　live　with。〃
　〃I'm　sure　I　have。〃
　〃And　frankly；　I've　been　pretty　angry　with　you。〃
　〃With　good　reason；　I　know。　I'm　sorry　for　what　I　put　you　through。〃　She　leaned　over；　kissed　me　on　the　cheek。　〃But　it　feels　so　distant　now。　I　don't　like　the　tension　between　us。　What　do　you　say　we　kiss　and　make　up？〃
　〃Maybe　later；〃　I　said。　〃We　have　a　lot　to　do　now。〃
　She　got　playful；　puckering　her　lips；　kissing　air。　〃Oooh；　e　on；　sweetie；　just　a　little　smooch　。。。　e　on；　it　won't　kill　you　。。。〃
　〃Later；〃　I　said。
　She　sighed；　and　gave　up。　We　continued　down　the　corridor　in　silence　for　a　while。　Then　she　said；　in　a　serious　voice；　〃You're　avoiding　me；　Jack。　And　I　want　to　know　why。〃　I　didn't　answer　her；　I　just　gave　a　long…suffering　sigh　and　kept　walking；　acting　like　what　she'd　said　was　beneath　response。　In　fact；　I　was　badly　worried。
　I　couldn't　keep　refusing　to　kiss　her　forever；　sooner　or　later　she'd　figure　out　what　I　knew。　Maybe　she　already　had。　Because　even　when　Julia　was　acting　girlish；　she　seemed　sharper；　more　alert　than　she'd　ever　been　before。　I　had　the　feeling　she　didn't　miss　anything。　And　I　had　the　same　feeling　about　Ricky。　It　was　as　if　they　were　tuned　up；　ultra…aware。　And　I　was　worried　about　what　I'd　seen　on　Mae's　monitor。　The　black　cloud　that　seemed　to　e　from　Julia's　mouth。　Had　it　really　been　there；　on　the　video？　Because　as　far　as　I　knew；　swarms　killed　their　prey　on　contact。　They　were　merciless。　Now　Julia　seemed　to　be　harboring　a　swarm。　How　could　that　be？　Did　she　have　some　sort　of　immunity？　Or　was　the　swarm　tolerating　her；　not　killing　her　for　some　reason？　And　what　about　Ricky　and　Vince？　Did　they　have　immunity；　too？
　One　thing　was　clear：　Julia　and　Ricky　did　not　want　us　to　call　anybody。　They　had　deliberately　isolated　us　in　the　desert；　knowing　that　they　would　have　only　a　few　hours　until　the　helicopter　arrived。　So　apparently；　that's　all　the　time　they　needed。　To　do　what？　Kill　us？　Or　just　infect　us？　What？
　Walking　down　the　corridor　next　to　my　wife；　I　felt　as　if　I　was　walking　with　a　str