the.lost.world-第37节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　　　　〃Traveling　light；　eh？　Well；　good；　Ms。　Harding。　Wele　to　the　party。〃
　　　　He　seemed　entirely　open　and　friendly　now。　It　was　such　a　marked　change　from　his　earlier　behavior。　But　she　noticed　that　the　handsome　man；　King；　remained　distinctly　uneasy。　King　turned　his　back　to　her；　and　acted　very　busy；　shouting　at　the　workmen　to　be　careful　with　the　last　of　the　wooden　crates；　which　were　marked　〃Biosyn　Corporation〃　in　stenciled　lettering。　She　had　the　impression　he　was　avoiding　looking　at　her。　And　she　still　hadn't　gotten　a　good　look　at　the　third　man；　on　deck。　It　　made　her　hesitate。
　　　　〃You're　sure　it's　all　right。。。。〃
　　　　〃Of　course　it's　all　right！　We'd　be　delighted！〃　Dodgson　said。　〃Besides；　how　else　are　you　going　to　get　there？　There's　no　planes；　the　helicopter　is　gone。
　　　　〃I　know；　I　checked。。。。〃
　　　　〃Well；　then；　you　know。　If　you　want　to　get　to　the　island；　you'd　better　go　with　us。〃
　　　　
　　　　She　looked　at　the　jeep　on　the　boat；　and　said；　〃I　think　Doc　must　already　be　there；　with　his　equipment。〃
　　　　At　the　mention　of　that；　the　second　man；　King；　snapped　his　head　around　in　alarm。　But　Dodgson　just　nodded　calmly　and　said；　〃Yes；　I　think　so。　He　left　last　night；　I　believe。〃
　　　　〃That's　what　he　said　to　me。〃
　　　　〃Right。〃　Dodgson　nodded。　〃So　he's　already　there。　At　least；　I　hope　he　is。〃
　　　　From　on　deck；　there　were　shouts　in　Spanish；　and　a　captain　in　greasy　overalls　came　and　looked　over　the　side。　〃Se？or　Dodgson；　we　are　ready。〃
　　　　〃Good；〃　Dodgson　said。　〃Excellent。　Climb　aboard；　Ms。　Harding。　Let's　get　going！〃

King

Spewing　black　smoke；　the　fishing　boat　chugged　out　of　the　harbor；　heading　toward　open　sea。　Howard　King　felt　the　rumble　of　the　ship's　engines　beneath　his　feet；　heard　the　creak　of　the　wood。　He　listened　to　the　shouts　of　the　crewmen　in　Spanish。　King　looked　back　at　the　little　town　of　Puerto　Cortés；　a　jumble　of　little　houses　clustered　around　the　water's　edge。　He　hoped　this　damn　boat　was　seaworthy　…　because　they　were　out　in　the　middle　of　nowhere。
　　　　And　Dodgson　was　cutting　corners。　Taking　chances　again。
　　　　It　was　the　situation　King　feared　most。
　　　　Howard　King　had　known　Lewis　Dodgson　for　almost　ten　years；　ever　since　he　had　joined　Biosyn　as　a　young　Berkeley　Ph。D。；　a　promising　researcher　with　the　energy　to　conquer　the　world。　King　had　done　his　doctoral　thesis　on　blood…coagulation　factors。　He　had　joined　Biosyn　at　a　time　of　intense　interest　in　those　factors；　which　seemed　to　hold　the　key　to　dissolving　clots　in　patients　with　heart　attacks。　There　was　a　race　among　biotech　panies　to　develop　a　new　drug　that　would　save　lives；　and　make　a　fortune　as　well。
　　　　Initially；　King　worked　on　a　promising　substance　called　Hemaggluttin　V…5；　or　HGV…5。　In　early　tests　it　dissolved　platelet　aggregation　to　an　astonishing　degree。　King　became　the　most　promising　young　researcher　at　Biosyn。　His　picture　was　prominently　featured　in　the　annual　report。　He　had　his　own　lab；　and　an　operating　budget　of　nearly　half　a　million　dollars。
　　　　And　then；　without　warning；　the　bottom　fell　out。　In　preliminary　tests　on　human　subjects；　HGV…5　failed　to　dissolve　clots　in　either　myocardial　infarctions　or　pulmonary　embolisms。　Worse；　it　produced　severe　side　effects：　gastrointestinal　bleeding；　skin　rashes；　neurological　problems。　After　one　patient　died　from　convulsions；　the　pany　halted　further　testing。　Within　weeks；　King　lost　his　lab。　A　newly　arrived　Danish　researcher　took　it　over；　he　was　developing　an　extract　from　the　saliva　of　the　Sumatran　yellow　leech；　which　showed　more　promise。
　　　　King　moved　to　a　smaller　lab；　decided　he　was　tired　of　blood　factors；　and　turned　his　attention　to　painkillers。　He　had　an　interesting　pound；　the　L…isomer　of　a　protein　from　the　African　horny　toad；　which　seemed　to　have　narcotic　effects。　But　he　had　lost　his　former　confidence；　and　when　the　pany　reviewed　his　work；　they　concluded　that　his　research　was　insufficiently　documented　to　warrant　seeking　FDA　approvals　for　testing。　His　horny…toad　project　was　summarily　canceled。
　　　　King　was　then　thirty…five；　and　twice　a　failure。　His　picture　no　longer　graced　the　annual　report。　It　was　rumored　that　the　pany　would　probably　let　him　go　at　the　next　review　period。　When　he　proposed　a　new　research　project；　it　was　rejected　at　once。　It　was　a　dark　time　in　his　life。
　　　　Then　Lewis　Dodgson　suggested　they　have　lunch。

Dodgson　had　an　unsavory　reputation　among　the　researchers；　he　was　known　as　〃The　Undertaker；〃　because　of　the　way　he　took　over　the　work　of　others；　and　prettied　it　up　as　his　own。　In　earlier　years；　King　never　would　have　been　seen　with　him。　But　now　he　allowed　Dodgson　to　take　him　to　an　expensive　seafood　restaurant　in　San　Francisco。
　　　　〃Research　is　hard；〃　Dodgson　said；　sympathetically。
　　　　〃You　can　say　that　again；〃　King　said。
　　　　〃Hard；　and　risky；〃　Dodgson　said。　〃The　fact　is；　innovative　research　rarely　pans　out。　But　does　management　understand？　No。　If　the　research　fails；　you're　the　one　who's　blamed。　It's　not　fair。〃
　　　　〃Tell　me；〃　King　said。
　　　　〃But　that's　the　name　of　the　game。〃　Dodgson　shrugged；　and　speared　a　leg　of　soft…shell　crab。
　　　　King　said　nothing。
　　　　〃Personally；　I　don't　like　risk；〃　Dodgson　continued。　〃And　original　work　is　risky。　Most　new　ideas　are　bad；　and　most　original　work　fails。　That's　the　reality。　If　you　feel　pelled　to　do　original　research；　you　can　expect　to　fail。　That's　all　right　if　you　work　in　a　university；　where　failure　is　praised　and　success　leads　to　Ostracism。　But　in　industry。。。no；　no。　Original　work　in　industry　is　not　a　wise　career　choice。　It's　only　going　to　get　you　into　trouble。　Which　is　where　you　are　right　now；　my　friend。〃
　　　　〃What　can　I　do？　〃　King　said。
　　　　〃Well；〃　Dodgson　said。　〃I　have　my　I　own　version　of　the　scientific　method。　I　call　it　focused　research　development。　If　only　a　few　ideas　are　going　to　be　good；　why　try　to　find　them　yourself？　It's　too　hard。　Let　other　people　find　them　…　let　them　take　the　risk　…　let　them　go　for　the　so…called　glory。　I'd　rather　wait；　and　develop　ideas　that　already　show　promise。　Take　what's　good；　and　make　it　better。　Or　at　least；　make　it　different　enough　so　that　I　can　patent　it。　And　then　I　own　it。　Then；　it's　mine。〃
　　　　King　was　amazed　at　the　straightforward　way　that　Dodgson　admitted　he　was　a　thief。　He　didn't　seem　in　the　least　embarrassed。　King　poked　at　his　salad　for　a　while。　〃Why　are　you　telling　me　this？〃
　　　　〃Because　I　see　something　in　you；〃　Dodgson　said。　〃I　see　ambition。　Frustrated　ambition。　And　I'm　telling　you；　Howard；　you　don't　have　to　be　frustrated。　You；　don't　even　have　to　be　fired　from　the　pany　at　the　next　performance　review。　Which　is　exactly　what's　going　to　happen。　How　old　is　your　kid？〃
　　　　〃Four；〃　King　said。
　　　　〃Terrible；　to　be　out　of　work；　with　a　young　family。　And　it　won't　be　easy　to　get　another　job。　Who's　going　to　give　you　a　chance　now？　By　thirty…five；　a　research　scientist　has　already　made　his　mark；　or　he's　not　likely　to。　I　don't　say　that's　right；　but　that's　how　they　think。〃
　　　　King　knew　that's　how　they　thought。　At　every　biotechnology　pany　in　California。
　　　　〃But　Howard；〃　Dodgson　said；　leaning　across　the　table；　lowering　his　voice；　〃a　wonderful　world　awaits　you；　if　you　choose　to　look　at　things　differently。　There's　a　whole　other　way　to　live　your　life。　I　really　think　you　should　consider　what　I'm　saying。〃
　　　　Two　weeks　later；　King　became　Dodgson's　personal　assistant　in　the　Department　of　Future　Biogenic　Trends；　which　was　bow　Biosyn　referred　to　its　efforts　at　industrial　espionage。　And　in　the　years　that　followed；　King　had　once　again　risen　swiftly　at　Biosyn　…　this　time　because　Dodgson　liked　him。
　　　　Now　King　had　all　the　accoutrements　of　success：　a　Porsche；　a　mortgage；　a　divorce；　a　kid　he　saw　on　weekends。　All　because　King　had　proven　to　be　the　perfect　second　in　mand；　working　long　hours；　handling　the　details；　keeping　his　fast…talking　boss　out　of　trouble。　And　in　the　process；　King　had　e　to　know　all　the　sides　of　Dodgson　…　his　charismatic　side；　his　visionary　side；　and　his　dark；　ruthless　side。　King　told　himself　that　he　could　handle　the　ruthless　side；　that　he　could　keep　it　in　check；　that　over　the　years　he　had　learned　how　to　do　that。
　　　　But　sometimes；　he　was　not　so　sure。
　　　　Like　now。
　　　　Because　here　they　were；　in　some　rickety　stinking　fishing　boat；　heading　out　into　the　ocean　off　some　desolate　village　in　Costa　Rica；　and　in　this　tense　moment　Dodgson　had　suddenly　decided　to　play　some　kind　of　game；　meeting　this　woman　and　deciding　to　take　her　along。
　　　　King　didn't　know　what　Dodgson　intended；　but　he　could　see　the　intense　gleam　in　Dodgson's　eyes　that　he　had　seen　only　a　few　times　before；　and　it　was　a　look　that　always　alarmed　him。
　　　　The　woman　Harding　was　now　up　on　the　foredeck；　standing　near　the　bow。　She　was　looking　off　at　the　ocean。　King　saw　Dodgson　walking　around　the　Jeep；　and　beckoned　to　him　nervously。
　　　　〃Listen；〃　King　said；　〃we　have　to　talk。〃
　　　　〃Sure；〃　Dodgson　said；　easily。　〃What's　on　your　mind？〃
　　　　And　he　smiled。　That　charming　smile。

Harding

Sarah　Harding　stared　at　the　gray；　menacing　sky。　The　boat　rolled　in　the　heavy　offshore　swell。　The　deckhands　scrambled　to　tie　down　the　Jeep；　which　threatened　repeatedly　to　break　free。　She　stood　in　the　bow；　fighting　seasickness。　On　the　far　horizon；　dead　ahead；　she　could　just　see　the　low　black　line　that　was　their　first　glimpse　of　Isla　Sorna。
　　　　She　turned　and　looked　back；　and　saw　Dodgson　and　King　were　huddled　by　the　railing