mc.prey-第4部分

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！


he　feeling　that　her　appearance　had　changed；　somehow。　Of　course　she　had　lost　weight　recently；　part　of　the　strain　of　the　job。　A　certain　softness　in　her　face　was　gone；　her　cheekbones　protruded　more；　her　chin　seemed　sharper。　It　made　her　look　harder；　but　in　a　way　more　glamorous。
　Her　clothes　were　different；　too。　Julia　was　wearing　a　dark　skirt　and　a　white　blouse；　sort　of　standard　business　attire。　But　the　skirt　was　tighter　than　usual。　And　her　kicking　foot　made　me　notice　she　was　wearing　slingback　high　heels。　What　she　used　to　call　fuck…me　shoes。　The　kind　of　shoes　she　would　never　wear　to　work。
　And　then　I　realized　that　everything　about　her　was　different…her　manner；　her　appearance；　her　mood；　everything…and　in　a　flash　of　insight　I　knew　why：　my　wife　was　having　an　affair。　The　water　on　the　stove　began　to　steam；　and　I　pulled　out　the　bottle；　tested　it　on　my　forearm。　It　had　gotten　too　hot；　and　I　would　have　to　wait　a　minute　for　it　to　cool。　The　baby　started　to　cry；　and　I　bounced　her　a　little　on　my　shoulder；　while　I　walked　her　around　the　room。　Julia　never　looked　at　me。　She　just　kept　swinging　her　foot；　and　staring　into　space。　I　had　read　somewhere　that　this　was　a　syndrome。　The　husband's　out　of　work；　his　masculine　appeal　declines；　his　wife　no　longer　respects　him；　and　she　wanders。　I　had　read　that　in　Glamour　or　Redbook　or　one　of　those　magazines　around　the　house　that　I　glanced　through　while　waiting　for　the　washing　machine　to　finish　its　cycle；　or　the　microwave　to　thaw　the　hamburger。　But　now　I　was　flooded　with　confused　feelings。　Was　it　really　true？　Was　I　just　tired；　making　up　bad　stories　in　my　mind？　After　all；　what　difference　did　it　make　if　she　was　wearing　tighter　skirts　and　different　shoes？　Fashions　changed。　People　felt　different　on　different　days。　And　just　because　she　was　sometimes　angry；　did　that　really　mean　she　was　having　an　affair？　Of　course　it　didn't。　I　was　probably　just　feeling　inadequate；　unattractive。　These　were　probably　my　insecurities　ing　out。　My　thoughts　went　on　in　this　vein　for　a　while。
　But　for　some　reason；　I　couldn't　talk　myself　out　of　it。　I　was　sure　it　was　true。　I　had　lived　with　this　woman　for　more　than　twelve　years。　I　knew　she　was　different；　and　I　knew　why。　I　could　sense　the　presence　of　someone　else；　an　outside　person；　some　intruder　in　our　relationship。　I　felt　it　with　a　conviction　that　surprised　me。　I　felt　it　in　my　bones；　like　an　ache。　I　had　to　turn　away。
　*　*　*
　The　baby　took　the　bottle；　gurgling　happily。　In　the　darkened　kitchen；　she　stared　up　at　my　face　with　that　peculiar　fixed　stare　that　babies　have。　It　was　sort　of　soothing；　watching　her。　After　a　while　she　closed　her　eyes；　and　then　her　mouth　went　slack。　I　put　her　on　my　shoulder　and　burped　her　as　I　carried　her　back　into　her　bedroom。　Most　parents　pat　their　babies　too　hard；　trying　to　get　a　burp。　It's　better　to　just　rub　the　flat　of　your　hand　up　their　back；　and　sometimes　just　along　the　spine　with　two　fingers。　She　gave　a　soft　belch；　and　relaxed。
　I　set　her　down　in　the　crib；　and　I　turned　out　the　night…light。　Now　the　only　light　in　the　room　came　from　the　aquarium；　bubbling　green…blue　in　the　corner。　A　plastic　diver　trudged　along　the　bottom；　trailing　bubbles。
　As　I　turned　to　go；　I　saw　Julia　silhouetted　in　the　doorway；　dark　hair　backlit。　She　had　been　watching　me。　I　couldn't　read　her　expression。　She　stalked　forward。　I　tensed。　She　put　her　arms　around　me　and　rested　her　head　on　my　chest。
　〃Please　forgive　me；〃　she　said。　〃I'm　a　real　jerk。　You're　doing　a　wonderful　job。　I'm　just　jealous；　that's　all。〃　My　shoulder　was　wet　with　her　tears。
　〃I　understand；〃　I　said；　holding　her。　〃It's　okay。〃
　I　waited　to　see　if　my　body　relaxed；　but　it　didn't。　I　was　suspicious　and　alert。　I　had　a　bad　feeling　about　her；　and　it　wasn't　going　away。
　She　came　out　of　the　shower　into　the　bedroom；　toweling　her　short　hair　dry。　I　was　sitting　on　the　bed；　trying　to　watch　the　rest　of　the　game。　It　occurred　to　me　that　she　never　used　to　take　showers　at　night。　Julia　always　took　a　shower　in　the　morning　before　work。　Now；　I　realized；　she　often　came　home　and　went　straight　to　the　shower　before　ing　out　to　say　hello　to　the　kids。　My　body　was　still　tense。　I　flicked　the　TV　off。　I　said；　〃How　was　the　demo？〃
　〃The　what？〃
　〃The　demo。　Didn't　you　have　a　demo　today？〃
　〃Oh；〃　she　said。　〃Oh；　yes。　We　did。　It　went　fine；　when　we　finally　got　it　going。　The　VCs　in　Germany　couldn't　stay　for　all　of　it　because　of　the　time　change；　but…listen；　do　you　want　to　see　it？〃
　〃What　do　you　mean？〃
　〃I　have　a　dub　of　it。　Want　to　see　it？〃
　I　was　surprised。　I　shrugged。　〃Okay；　sure。〃
　〃I'd　really　like　to　know　what　you　think；　Jack。〃　I　detected　a　patronizing　tone。　My　wife　was　including　me　in　her　work。　Making　me　feel　a　part　of　her　life。　I　watched　as　she　opened　her　briefcase　and　took　out　a　DVD。　She　stuck　it　in　the　player；　and　came　back　to　sit　with　me　on　the　bed。
　〃What　were　you　demoing？〃　I　said。
　〃The　new　medical　imaging　technology；〃　she　said。　〃It's　really　slick；　if　I　say　so　myself。〃　She　snuggled　up；　tucking　herself　into　my　shoulder。　All　very　cozy；　just　like　old　times。　I　still　felt　uneasy；　but　I　put　my　arm　around　her。
　〃By　the　way；〃　I　said；　〃how　e　you　take　showers　at　night　now；　instead　of　in　the　morning？〃
　〃I　don't　know；〃　she　said。　〃Do　I？　I　guess　I　do。　It　just　seems　easier；　honey。　Mornings　are　so　rushed；　and　I've　been　getting　those　conference　calls　from　Europe；　they　take　so　much　time…okay；　here　we　go；〃　she　said；　pointing　to　the　screen。　I　saw　black…and…white　scramble；　and　then　the　image　resolved。
　The　tape　showed　Julia　in　a　large　laboratory　that　was　fitted　out　like　an　operating　room。　A　man　lay　on　his　back　on　the　gurney；　an　IV　in　his　arm；　an　anesthesiologist　standing　by。　Above　the　table　was　a　round　flat　metal　plate　about　six　feet　in　diameter；　which　could　be　raised　and　lowered；　but　was　now　raised。　There　were　video　monitors　all　around。　And　in　the　foreground；　peering　at　a　monitor；　was　Julia。　There　was　a　video　technician　by　her　side。　〃This　is　terrible；〃　she　was　saying；　pointing　to　the　monitor。　〃What's　all　the　interference？〃
　〃We　think　it's　the　air　purifiers。　They're　causing　it。〃
　〃Well；　this　is　unacceptable。〃
　〃Really？〃
　〃Yes；　really。〃
　〃What　do　you　want　us　to　do？〃
　〃I　want　you　to　fix　it；〃　Julia　said。
　〃Then　we　have　to　boost　power；　and　you　have…〃
　〃I　don't　care；〃　she　said。　〃I　can't　show　the　VCs　an　image　of　this　quality。　They've　seen　better　pictures　from　Mars。　Fix　it。〃
　Beside　me　on　the　bed；　Julia　said；　〃I　didn't　know　they　recorded　all　this。　This　is　before　the　demo。　You　can　fast　forward。〃
　I　pushed　the　remote。　The　picture　scrambled。　I　waited　a　few　seconds；　and　played　it　again。
　Same　scene。　Julia　still　in　the　foreground。　Carol；　her　assistant；　whispering　to　her。
　〃Okay；　but　then　what　do　I　tell　him？〃
　〃Tell　him　no。〃
　〃But　he　wants　to　get　started。〃
　〃I　understand。　But　the　transmission　isn't　for　an　hour。　Tell　him　no。〃
　On　the　bed；　Julia　said　to　me；　〃Mad　Dog　was　our　experimental　subject。　He　was　very　restless。　Impatient　to　get　started。〃
　On　the　screen；　the　assistant　lowered　her　voice。　〃I　think　he's　nervous；　Julia。　I　would　be；　too；　with　a　couple　of　million　of　those　things　crawling　around　inside　my　body…〃
　〃It's　not　a　couple　of　million；　and　they're　not　crawling；〃　Julia　said。　〃Anyway；　they're　his　invention。〃
　〃Even　so。〃
　〃Isn't　that　an　anesthesiologist　over　there？〃
　〃No；　just　a　cardiologist。〃
　〃Well；　maybe　the　cardiologist　can　give　him　something　for　his　nervousness。〃
　〃They　already　did。　An　injection。〃
　On　the　bed　beside　me；　Julia　said；　〃Fast　forward；　Jack。〃　I　did。　The　picture　jumped　ahead。
　〃Okay；　here。〃
　I　saw　Julia　standing　at　the　monitor　again；　with　the　technician　beside　her。　〃That's　acceptable；〃　onscreen　Julia　was　saying；　pointing　to　the　image。　〃Not　great；　but　acceptable。　Now；　show　me　the　STM。〃
　〃The　what？〃
　〃The　STM。　The　electron　microscope。　Show　me　the　image　from　that。〃
　The　technician　looked　confused。　〃Uh　。。。　Nobody　told　us　about　any　electron　microscope。〃
　〃For　God's　sake；　read　the　damn　storyboards！〃
　The　technician　blinked。　〃It's　on　the　storyboards？〃
　〃Did　you　look　at　the　storyboards？〃
　〃I'm　sorry；　I　guess　I　must　have　missed　it。〃
　〃There's　no　time　now　to　be　sorry。　Fix　it！〃
　〃You　don't　have　to　shout。〃
　〃Yes　I　do！　I　have　to　shout；　because　I'm　surrounded　by　idiots！〃　She　waved　her　hands　in　the　air。　〃I'm　about　to　go　online　and　talk　to　eleven　billion　dollars　of　venture　capital　in　five　countries　and　show　them　submicroscopic　technology；　except　I　don't　have　a　microscope　feed；　so　they　can't　see　the　technology！〃
　On　the　bed；　Julia　said；　〃I　kind　of　lost　it　with　this　guy。　It　was　so　frustrating。　We　had　a　clock　counting　down　to　the　satellite　time；　which　was　booked　and　locked。　We　couldn't　change　it。　We　had　to　make　the　time；　and　this　guy　was　a　dimbus。　But　eventually　we　got　it　working。　Fast　forward。〃
　The　screen　showed　a　static　card；　which　read：
　　
　A　Private　Demonstration　of　Advanced　Medical　Imaging　by　Xymos　Technology
　Mountain　View；　CA
　World　Leader　in　Molecular　Manufacturing
　　
　Then；　on　the　screen；　Julia　appeared；　standing　in　front　of　the　gurney　and　the　medical　apparatus。　She'd　brushed　her　hair　and　tucked　in　her　blouse。
　〃Hello　to　all　of　you；〃　she　said；　smiling　at　the　camera。　〃I'm　Julia　Forman　of　Xymos　Technology；　and　we're　about　to　demonstrate　a　revolutionary　medical　imaging　procedure　just　developed　here。　Our　subject；　Peter　Morris；　is　lying　behind　me　on　the　table。　In　a　few　moments；　we're　going　to　look　inside　his　heart　and　blood　vessels　with　an　ease　and　accuracy　never　before　possible。〃　She　began　walking　around　the　table；　talking　as　she　went。
　〃Unlike　cardiac　catheterization；　our　procedure　is　one　hundred　percent　safe。　And　unlike　catheterization；　we　can　look　everywhere　in　the　body；　at　every　sort　of　vessel；　no　matter　how　large　or　small。　We'll　see　inside　his　aorta；　the　largest　artery　of　the　body。　But　we'll　also　look　inside　the　alveoli　of　his　lungs；　and　the　tiny　capillaries　of　his　fingertips。　We　can　do　all　this　because　the　camera　we　put　inside　his　vessels　is　smaller　than　a　red　blood　cell。　Quite　a　bit　smaller；　actually。　〃Xymos　microfabrication　technology　can　now　produce　these　miniaturized　cameras；　and　produce　them　in　quantity…cheaply；　quickly。　It　would　take　a　thousand　of　them　just　to　make　a　dot　the　size　of　a　pencil　point。　We　can　fabricate　a　kilogram　of　these　cameras　in　an　hour。　〃I'm　sure　you　are　all　ske