dk.solesurvivor-第59部分

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he　recognizes　that　she　still　has　the　capacity　for　selfishness；　pettiness；　and　cruelty；　she　yearns　to　transcend　her　past　even　as　she　quakes　at　the　fortitude　required　to　do　so。
　　When　the　vision　passes　and　she　finds　herself　in　the　girl's　room　as　before；　she　harbours　no　doubt　that　what　she　saw　was　real；　truth　in　its　purest　form；　and　not　merely　the　child's　delusion　transmitted　through　psychic　power。　For　almost　half　an　hour　she　cannot　speak　but　sits　shaking；　her　face　buried　in　her　hands。
　　Gradually；　she　begins　to　realize　the　implications　of　what　has　happened　here。　There　are　basically　two。　First；　if　this　revelation　can　be　brought　to　the　world；　even　to　as　many　as　the　girl　can　touch…all　that　is　now　will　pass　away。　Once　one　has　seen…not　taken　on　faith　but　seen…that　there　is　life　beyond；　even　if　the　nature　of　it　remains　profoundly　mysterious　and　even　as　fearsome　as　it　is　glorious；　then　all　that　was　once　important　seems　insignificant。　Avenues　of　wondrous　possibilities　abound　where　once　there　was　a　single　alley　through　the　darkness。　The　world　as　we　know　it　ends。
　　Second：　There　are　those　who　will　not　wele　the　end　of　the　old　order；　who　have　taught　themselves　to　thrive　on　power　and　on　the　pain　and　humiliation　of　others。　Indeed；　the　world　is　full　of　them；　and　they　will　not　want　to　receive　the　girl's　gift。　They　will　fear　the　girl　and　everything　that　she　promises。　And　they　will　either　sedate　and　isolate　her　in　a　containment　vessel…or　they　will　kill　her。
　　She　is　as　gifted　as　any　messiah…but　she　is　human。　She　can　heal　the　wing　of　a　broken　bird　and　bring　sight　to　its　blinded　eye。　She　can　banish　cancer　from　a　disease…riddled　man。　But　she　is　not　an　angel　with　a　cloak　of　invulnerability。　She　is　flesh　and　bone。　Her　precious　power　resides　in　the　delicate　tissues　of　her　singular　brain。　If　the　magazine　of　a　pistol　is　emptied　into　the　back　of　her　head；　she　will　die　like　any　other　child；　dead；　she　cannot　heal　herself。　Although　her　soul　will　proceed　into　other　realms；　she　will　be　lost　to　this　troubled　place　that　needs　her。　The　world　will　not　be　changed；　peace　will　not　replace　turmoil；　and　there　will　be　no　end　to　loneliness　and　despair。
　　Rose　quickly　bees　convinced　that　the　project's　directors　will　opt　for　termination。　The　moment　that　they　understand　what　this　little　girl　is；　they　will　kill　her。
　　Before　nightfall；　they　will　kill　her。
　　Certainly　before　midnight；　they　will　kill　her。
　　They　will　not　be　willing　to　risk　consigning　her　to　a　containment　vessel。　The　boy　possesses　only　the　power　of　destruction；　but　21…21　possesses　the　power　of　enlightenment；　which　is　immeasurably　the　more　dangerous　of　the　two。
　　They　will　shoot　her　down；　soak　her　corpse　with　gasoline；　set　her　remains　afire；　and　later　scatter　her　charred　bones。
　　Rose　must　act…and　quickly。　The　girl　must　be　spirited　out　of　the　orphanage　and　hidden　before　they　can　destroy　her。
　　
　　'Joe？'
　　Against　a　field　of　stars；　as　though　at　this　moment　erupting　from　the　crust　of　the　earth；　the　black　mountains　shouldered　darkly　across　the　horizon。
　　'Joe；　I'm　sorry。'　Her　voice　was　frail。　'I'm　so　sorry。'
　　They　were　speeding　north　on　State　Highway　30；　east　of　the　city　of　San　Bernardino；　fifty　miles　from　Big　Bear。
　　'Joe；　are　you　okay？'
　　He　could　not　answer。
　　Traffic　was　light。　The　road　ascended　into　forests。　Cottonwoods　and　pines　shook；　shook；　shook　in　the　wind。
　　He　could　not　answer。　He　could　only　drive。
　　'When　you　insisted　on　believing　the　little　girl　with　me　was　your　own　Nina；　I　let　you　go　on　believing　it。'
　　For　whatever　purpose；　she　was　still　deceiving　him。　He　could　not　understand　why　she　continued　to　hide　the　truth。
　　She　said；　After　they　found　us　at　the　restaurant；　I　needed　your　help。　Especially　after　I　was　shot；　I　needed　you。　But　you　hadn't　opened　your　heart　and　mind　to　the　photograph　when　I　gave　it　to　you。　You　were　so。　。　。　fragile。　I　was　afraid　if　you　knew　it　really　wasn't　your　Nina；　you'd　just。　。　。　stop。　Fall　apart。　God　forgive　me；　Joe；　but　I　needed　you。　And　now　the　girl　needs　you。'
　　Nina　needed　him。　Not　some　girl　born　in　a　lab；　with　the　power　to　transmit　her　curious　fantasies　to　others　and　cloud　the　minds　of　the　gullible。　Nina　needed　him。　Nina。
　　If　he　could　not　trust　Rose　Tucker；　was　there　anyone　he　could　trust？
　　He　managed　to　shake　two　words　from　himself：　'Go　on。'
　　Rose　again。　In　21…21's　room。　Feverishly　considering　the　problem　of　how　to　spirit　the　girl　through　a　security　system　equal　to　that　of　any　prison。
　　The　answer；　when　it　es；　is　obvious　and　elegant。
　　There　are　three　exits　from　the　ground　floor　of　the　orphanage。　Rose　and　the　girl　walk　hand…in…hand　to　the　door　that　connects　the　main　building　to　the　adjoining　two…story　parking　structure。
　　An　armed　guard　views　their　approach　with　more　puzzlement　than　suspicion。　The　orphans　are　not　permitted　into　the　garage　even　under　supervision。
　　When　21…21　holds　out　her　tiny　hand　and　says　Shake；　the　guard　smiles　and　obliges…and　receives　the　gift。　Filled　with　cyclonic　wonder；　he　sits　shaking　uncontrollably；　weeping　with　joy　but　also　with　hard　remorse；　just　as　Rose　had　trembled　and　wept　in　the　girl's　room。
　　It　is　a　simple　matter　to　push　the　button　on　the　guard's　console　to　throw　the　electronic　lock　on　the　door　and　pass　through。
　　Another　guard　waits　on　the　garage　side　of　the　connecting　door。　He　is　startled　by　the　sight　of　this　child。　She　reaches　for　him；　and　his　surprise　at　seeing　her　is　nothing　pared　to　the　surprise　that　follows。
　　A　third　guard　is　stationed　at　the　gated　exit　from　the　garage。　Alarmed　by　the　sight　of　21…21　in　Rose's　car；　he　leans　in　the　open　window　to　demand　an　explanation…and　the　girl　touches　his　face。
　　Two　more　armed　men　staff　the　gate　at　the　highway。　All　barriers　fall；　and　Virginia　lies　ahead。
　　Escape　will　never　be　as　easy　again。　If　they　are　apprehended；　the　girl's　offer　of　a　handshake　will　be　greeted　by　gunfire。
　　The　trick　now　is　to　get　out　of　the　area　quickly；　before　project　security　realizes　what　has　happened　to　five　of　its　men。　They　will　mount　a　pursuit；　perhaps　with　the　assistance　of　local；　state；　and　federal　authorities。　Rose　drives　madly；　recklessly；　with　a　skill　…born　of　desperation…that　she　has　never　known　before。
　　Barely　big　enough　to　see　out　of　the　side　window；　21…21　studies　the　passing　countryside　with　fascination　and；　at　last；　says；　Wow；　it　sure　is　big　out　here。
　　Rose　laughs　and　says；　Honey；　you　ain't　seen　nothing　yet。
　　She　realizes　that　she　must　get　the　word　out　as　quickly　as　possible：　use　the　media　to　display　21…21's　healing　powers　and　then　to　demonstrate　the　greater　gift　that　the　girl　can　bestow。　Only　the　forces　of　ignorance　and　darkness　benefit　from　secrecy。　Rose　believes　that　21…21　will　never　be　safe　until　the　world　knows　of　her；　embraces　her；　and　refuses　to　allow　her　to　be　taken　into　custody。
　　Her　ex…bosses　will　expect　her　to　go　public　quickly　and　in　a　big　way。　Their　influence　within　the　media　is　widespread…yet　as　subtle　as　a　web　of　cloud　shadows　on　the　skin　of　a　pond；　which　makes　it　all　the　more　effective。　They　will　try　to　find　her　as　soon　as　possible　after　she　surfaces　and　before　she　can　bring　21…21　to　the　world。
　　She　knows　a　reporter　whom　she　would　trust　not　to　betray　her：
　　Lisa　Peccatone；　an　old　college　friend　who　works　at　the　Post　in　Los　Angeles。
　　Rose　and　the　girl　will　have　to　fly　to　Southern　California…and　the　sooner　the　better。　Project　99　is　a　joint　venture　of　private　industry；　elements　of　the　defence　establishment；　and　other　powerful　forces　in　the　government。　Easier　to　halt　an　avalanche　with　a　feather　than　to　resist　their　bined　might；　and　they　will　shortly　begin　to　use　every　asset　in　their　arsenal　to　locate　Rose　and　the　girl。
　　Trying　to　fly　out　of　Dulles　or　National　Airport　in　Washington　is　too　dangerous。　She　considers　Baltimore；　Philadelphia；　New　York；　and　Boston。　She　chooses　New　York。
　　She　reasons　that　the　more　county　and　state　lines　she　crosses；　the　safer　she　bees；　so　she　drives　to　Hagerstown；　Maryland；　and　from　there　to　Harrisburg；　Pennsylvania；　without　incident。　Yet　mile　by　mile；　she　is　increasingly　concerned　that　her　pursuers　will　have　put　out　an　APB　on　her　car　and　that　she　will　be　captured　regardless　of　the　distance　she　puts　between　herself　and　Manassas。
　　In　Harrisburg；　she　abandons　the　car；　and　she　and　the　girl　continue　to　New　York　City　by　bus。
　　By　the　time　they　are　in　the　air　aboard　Nationwide　Flight　353；　Rose　feels　safe。　Immediately　on　landing　at　LAX；　she　will　be　met　by　Lisa　and　the　crew　that　Lisa　has　assembled…and　the　series　of　media　eruptions　will　begin。
　　For　the　airline　passenger　manifest；　Rose　implied　that　she　was　married　to　a　white　man；　and　she　identified　21…21　as　her　stepdaughter；　choosing　the　name　'Mary　Tucker；'　on　the　spur　of　the　moment。　With　the　media；　she　intends　initially　to　use　CCY…21…21's　project　name　because　its　similarity　to　concentration…camp　inmates'　names　will　do　more　than　anything　else　to　characterize　Project　99　in　the　public　mind　and　generate　instant　sympathy　for　the　child。　She　realizes　that　eventually　she　will　have　to　consult　with　21…21　to　pick　a　permanent　name…which；　considering　the　singular　historical　importance　of　this　child's　life；　should　be　a　name　that　resonates。
　　They　are　seated　across　the　aisle　from　a　mother　and　her　two　daughters；　who　are　returning　home　to　Los　Angeles…Michelle；　Chrissie；　and　Nina　Carpenter。
　　Nina；　who　is　approximately　21…21's　age　and　size；　is　playing　with　a　hand…held　electronic　game　called　Pigs　and　Princes；　designed　for　preschoolers。　From　across　the　aisle；　21…21　bees　fascinated　by　the　sounds　and　the　images　on　the　small　screen。　Seeing　this；　Nina　asks　'Mary'　to　move　with　her　to　a　nearby　pair　of　empty　seats　where　they　can　play　the　game　together。　Rose　is　hesitant　to　allow　this…but　she　knows　that　21…21　is　intelligent　far　beyond　her　years　and　is　aware　of　the　need　for　discretion；　so　she　relents。　This　is　the　first　unstructured　play　time　in　21…21's　life；　the　first　genuine　play　she　has　ever　known。　Nina　is　a　child　of　enormous　charm；　sweet　and　gregarious。　Although　21…21　is　a　genius　with　the　reading　skills　of　a　college　freshman；　a　healer　with　miraculous　powers；　and　literally　the　hope　of　the　world；　she　is　soon　enraptured　by　Nina；　wants　to　be　Nina；　as　totally　cool　as　Nina；　and　unconsciously　she　begins　imitating　Nina's