rstacy.doomsdaywarrior-第13节
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rom Mexico were sitting around eating their pemmican and pork stew。 McCaughlin； the official morale builder； began playing his harmonica。 They sang a few choruses of 〃Jimmy Crack Corn；〃 and a few patriotic songs like 〃America the Beautiful。〃 That brought tears to Danik's eyes。 Then they all bedded down and fell into a well…deserved warm and cozy sleep。
Scheransky carefully slipped from his sleeping bag in the dead of night and nearly soundlessly stole away from the pany of exhausted Freefighters。 Before he moved off into the crescent…moon…lit darkness outside the odd building； the Russian reached into a pack on his sled and took out the small black…box device。 It fit right into the palm of his hand。 Sure that no one had noticed his awakening； he slipped away into the snowy darkness。
But someone had noticed； Chen。 Though as tired as the others。 Chen's martial arts training allowed him to sleep lightly when on a mission； and to unconsciously note any unusual noise。 He opened his brown…amber eyes and without the slightest movement of his head or body tracked the silent Russian defector。 Then； as stealthily as the Russian had moved； Chen rose and followed。 At the doorway he saw Scheransky go behind some boulders。
What was the Russian up to？ Chen couldn't believe he was up to something bad。 Maybe it was just a call of nature that drove Scheransky over the ridge？ What if it wasn't？ Chen had bought the Russian's story of believing in the American cause。 Chen had believed … up until this point … that Scheransky was a true and loyal American Freefighter now。 He certainly had honored himself in the Alaska mission； and Rockson trusted Scheransky implicitly。
But then where the hell was he going？ As Chen stalked him over the ridge of boulders； he saw Scheransky now running in the distance。 The man was certainly not just taking a piss。 No； he was up to something。
Chen shot from boulder to boulder。 The Russian never looked back to see if he was being followed。 He stopped suddenly and put a device in his hand down and pulled out an antenna。 He started pushing on it … buttons perhaps。
A transmitter of some kind； Chen concluded。 The Soviet defector must not be a defector at all … he must be giving away their position。 He should throw a star…dart … kill the man he had e to trust as a friend over the past months … No！ He hesitated。
Chen put the shuriken back into his belt pouch。 He instead ran like lightning； silently as a deer； at the Russian kneeling there in the snow。 Chen jumped him just as he was turning； having heard the faint crunch of snow。
Wham； Chen was upon him。 The Russian fought like a madman but Chen had him tied up in knots with a reverse hammerhold and his face half buried in the snow； his arms twisted violently behind him。 Scheransky； for the first time seeing his silent attacker； exclaimed； 〃Chen； it's you！〃
〃Yes； you bastard。 It's me。 What are you doing？〃 〃Ease up； Chen； you're hurting me。〃 〃Not until you tell me what you're doing！〃 Chen saw now that the device had a number of small blinking red lights on it。 The antenna waved in the arctic…like wind。 Scheransky tried again to struggle out of Chen's grip； but to no avail。 〃Talk； you traitor … or I'll break your arm。〃 Scheransky spat out snow and said； 〃All right； all right。 It's an … experiment … for … for Dr。 Schecter。〃 〃Oh yeah？ Then； how e we're not in on it？〃 Chen tightened his twist of the Russian's arm。 〃Ow； let go； let go。〃
〃Let him go； Chen；〃 said a voice from behind。 Chen turned to see Rockson's cleated boots near his face。 And Rona and Archer too were ing up behind him。 〃Caught him with this device；〃 Chen said； pushing Scheransky's device across the snow with his foot。 〃Take a look。〃 He let the Russian sit up。 Scheransky started rubbing his shoulder。 He leaned over to retrieve his black…box device。
〃Stay away from that device；〃 Rock said； unholstering his pistol。
〃Don't worry； I will；〃 said Scheransky； withdrawing his hand。
〃Now； what's this about？〃
Scheransky sighed。 〃You're not supposed to know。〃
〃Tell me anyway。〃
〃I never trusted him；〃 Chen offered。 〃A Red is a Red。〃
〃Tell me；〃 Rockson said again； cocking his shot… pistol。
〃Oh shit； Rock；〃 Scheransky said； 〃its an experiment for Dr。 Schecter。 He wants … wants to m…measure the atmospheric changes that have brought on this terrible winter … the worst since the war。〃
Rockson went over and crouched next to the device。 He saw after careful inspection that it was not a transmitter。 Still it was an electronic device。 And Rockson had specifically forbidden the bringing along of any electronic devices because the Russians had a way of homing in on them。
〃Do you believe me？ Here … here。〃 said the Russian； taking out a crumpled note。 〃Here is the letter from Dr。 Schecter explaining … in case I was seen using the device。。。〃
Rockson read：
To Ted Rockson； This is to advise you that I have overridden your objection to any electronic devices being brought along on your mission。 I have done this with the full support of Rath and the council。 Scheransky was told by the council that he had to obey。 The data being collected is of vital importance。 Sorry for the subterfuge。
Dr。 Schecter。
He passed the note around。 Chen sighed exasperatedly； pulled Scheransky up from the snow； and said； 〃Do you realize I was about to blow you to kingdom e with an explosive star…dart when I saw you take out the device？〃
Scheransky； brushing the snow from his parka； said； 〃I'm glad you didn't。〃
Rockson said； 〃Well； collect the damned information and let's get back to some shuteye。〃
〃Yes； can a person get an uninterrupted night of sleep around here？〃 demanded Rona。 〃You guys are worse than the gobble…gophers for losing a girl her beauty sleep。〃
Rockson； putting his arm over Scheransky's shoulder as they crunched back to camp in the snow； said he would think over whether or not Scheransky could continue with the data collection。
In the morning； over coffee and dried pemmican； Rockson said； 〃Scheransky； go ahead。 Keep collecting Schecter's damned data。 By the way … why did you go so far from camp to do it？〃
〃If … if the electronic pulses were picked up by an enemy patrol … I wanted to be the only one who was caught。。。〃 He looked down at his coffee。 Chen went over and said； 〃And to think I distrusted you。〃
〃Okay；〃 said Rock； breaking the guilt…ridden mood。 〃If anyone else has any wild surprises I'd appreciate hearing about it now … otherwise； let's pack up and get on our way。〃
The notebook gave the direction to the mysterious elegant bridge as southeast； two hundred twelve miles away。 Rock spent hours of the smooth； level run wondering what the hell a giant stone bridge could be doing out here； going no place； on a shallow lake。 He couldn't wait to solve the mystery。
After hours of speeding along … it was practically a race … came some rougher going。 A twisting； narrow canyon。
Rockson ordered that the sled teams be driven in one at a time； spaced about a hundred yards apart。 There were many feet of snow piled at the tops of those precipitous cliffs on both sides； the slightest noise could bring an avalanche。 Yet there was no break in the cliffs save this canyon as far as their electron binocs could scan。 They'd have to chance it。
Rock； Chen； and Archer would drive the sleds through。 Archer first； hopefully settling the dogs down； informing them in his subtle ways that they must not howl or bark or make any noises。 Then the remaining four Freefighters would ski through。 The danger wouldn't be as great for them。
It was as good a plan as he could devise。
Rock watched as Archer made the first entry into the narrow orifice； he and the sled disappearing in the shadowed turns of the canyon。 He sighed； and whispered a 〃Mush。〃 His own team took off after their big mountain man…buddy。 Rockson winced each time he heard a creak of a sled or a half…whine from the dogs； who sensed； he was sure； the danger。
In the dark narrow canyon； he found a profound closeness to death … and to the Creator。 He never caught sight of Archer's sled until he exited the canyon。
Rock breathed a sigh of relief to plunge into bright sunlight： another day of life。 Both the Doomsday Warrior and Archer watched the canyon exit anxious for the safety of Chen。
Chen took a long time to appear； but finally they saw his lead dogs huffing and puffing their way to safety。 Chen waved。
Next came the skiiers； also paced a hundred yards apart。 Detroit； then McCaughlin； Scheransky。。。 But where was Rona？ Anxious minutes went by。 Rona didn't appear。 A cloud went across the sun； Rockson detected a wind ing up。 He said； 〃I'm going back in after her。。。〃 He was about to set off when she appeared waving； shouting； 〃Hey； here I am。 Sorry I'm late； but there was this great snowflower； I picked。。。〃 She waved a purple blossom over her head。
There were stirrings in the canyon as her echo coursed through it。 Then a tremendous whumpp。 She skiied up to them as a giant billowing white cloud exited the canyon。
Close。
Danik； when they reached the next rise； informed them； 〃See that blue mesa ahead； wreathed in clouds？ I remember that one。 Ten or so miles beyond it lies the bridge。〃
After traversing the dista
