mc.prey-第58部分

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groped　for　the　next　rung　on　the　ladder；　and　the　next　after　that。　Pinpricks　stung　my　face　and　hands；　the　pain　being　more　intense；　sharper。　Apparently　the　swarm　was　learning　how　to　focus　pain。　But　at　least　it　hadn't　learned　to　suffocate。　The　swarm　did　nothing　to　interfere　with　my　breathing。　I　kept　on。
　I　climbed　in　darkness。
　And　then　I　felt　Ricky　pulling　at　my　legs　again。　And　in　that　moment；　finally；　I　didn't　see　how　I　could　go　on。
　I　was　twenty…five　feet　in　the　air；　hanging　on　to　a　ladder　for　dear　life；　dragging　a　jug　of　brown　sludge　up　with　me；　with　Vince　above　waiting　and　Ricky　below　dragging；　and　a　swarm　buzzing　around　my　head；　blinding　me　and　stinging　me　like　hell。　I　was　exhausted　and　defeated　and　I　could　feel　my　energy　draining　away。　My　fingers　felt　shaky　on　the　rungs。　I　couldn't　hold　my　grip　much　longer。　I　knew　that　all　I　had　to　do　was　release　my　grip　and　fall；　and　it　would　be　over　in　an　instant。　I　was　finished；　anyway。
　I　felt　for　the　next　rung；　gripped　it；　and　hauled　my　body　up。　But　my　shoulders　burned。　Ricky　was　pulling　down　fiercely。　I　knew　he　would　win。　They　would　all　win。　They　were　always　going　to　win。　And　then　I　thought　of　Julia；　pale　as　a　ghost　and　brittle　thin；　saying　in　a　whisper　〃Save　my　babies。〃　I　thought　of　the　kids；　waiting　for　me　to　e　back。　I　saw　them　sitting　around　the　table　waiting　for　dinner。　And　I　knew　I　had　to　go　on　no　matter　what。　So　I　did。
　It's　not　clear　to　me　now　what　happened　to　Ricky。　Somehow　he　pulled　my　legs　off　the　rungs；　and　I　hung　in　the　air　from　my　arms；　kicking　wildly；　and　I　must　have　kicked　him　in　the　face　and　broken　his　nose。
　Because　in　an　instant　Ricky　let　go　of　me；　and　I　heard　a　thump…thump…thumping　as　his　body　went　down　the　ladder；　and　he　desperately　tried　to　grab　the　rungs　as　he　fell。　I　heard；　〃Ricky；　no！〃　and　the　cloud　vanished　from　my　head；　I　was　pletely　free　again。　I　looked　down　and　saw　the　Julia　swarm　alongside　Ricky；　who　had　caught　himself　about　twelve　feet　above　the　floor。　He　looked　up　angrily。　His　mouth　and　nose　were　gushing　blood。　He　started　toward　me　but　the　Julia　swarm　said；　〃No；　Ricky。　No；　you　can't！　Let　Vince。〃
　And　then　Ricky　half　climbed；　half　fell　the　rest　of　the　way　down　the　ladder　to　the　ground；　and　the　swarm　reinhabited　Julia's　pale　body；　and　the　two　of　them　stood　there　and　watched　me。　I　turned　away　from　them　and　looked　up　the　ladder。
　Vince　was　standing　there；　five　feet　above　me。
　His　feet　were　on　the　top　rungs；　and　he　was　leaning　over；　blocking　my　way。　There　was　no　possible　way　I　could　get　past　him。　I　paused　to　take　stock；　shifted　my　weight　on　the　ladder；　got　one　leg　up　to　the　next　rung；　hooked　my　free　arm　around　the　rung　nearest　my　face。　But　as　I　raised　my　leg；　I　felt　the　lump　in　my　pocket。　I　paused。
　I　had　one　more　vial　of　phage。
　I　reached　into　my　pocket；　and　drew　it　out　to　show　him。　I　pulled　out　the　cork　with　my　teeth。　〃Hey；　Vince；〃　I　said。　〃How　about　a　shit　shower？〃
　He　didn't　move。　But　his　eyes　narrowed。
　I　moved　up　another　rung。
　〃Better　get　back；　Vince；〃　I　said。　I　was　panting　so　hard　I　couldn't　manage　the　proper　menace。　〃Get　on　back　before　you　get　wet　。。。〃
　One　more　rung。　I　was　only　three　rungs　below　him。
　〃It's　your　call；　Vince。〃　I　held　the　vial　in　my　other　hand。　〃I　can't　hit　your　face　from　down　here。　But　I'll　sure　as　hell　hit　your　legs　and　shoes。　Do　you　care？〃
　One　more　rung。
　Vince　stayed　where　he　was。
　〃Maybe　not；〃　I　said。　〃You　like　to　live　dangerously？〃
　I　paused。　If　I　advanced　another　rung；　he　could　kick　me　in　the　head。　If　I　stayed　where　I　was；　he　would　have　to　e　down　to　me；　and　I　could　get　him。　So　I　stayed。　〃What　do　you　say；　Vince？　Going　to　stay；　or　go？〃
　He　frowned。　His　eyes　flicked　back　and　forth；　from　my　face　to　the　vial；　and　back　again。
　And　then　he　stepped　away　from　the　ladder。
　〃Good　boy；　Vince。〃
　I　came　up　one　rung。
　He　had　stepped　back　so　far　that　now　I　couldn't　see　where　he　was。　I　thought　he　was　probably　planning　to　rush　me　at　the　top。　So　I　got　ready　to　duck　down；　and　swing　laterally。　Last　rung。
　And　now　I　saw　him。　He　wasn't　planning　anything。　Vince　was　shaking　with　panic；　a　cornered　animal；　huddled　back　in　the　dark　recess　of　the　walkway。　I　couldn't　read　his　eyes；　but　I　saw　his　body　tremble。
　〃Okay；　Vince；〃　I　said。　〃I'm　ing　up。〃
　I　stepped　onto　the　mesh　platform。　I　was　right　at　the　top　of　the　stairs；　surrounded　by　roaring　machinery。　Not　twenty　paces　away；　I　saw　the　paired　steel　tanks　for　the　sprinkler　system。　I　glanced　down　and　saw　Ricky　and　Julia；　staring　up　at　me。　I　wondered　if　they　realized　how　close　I　was　to　my　goal。
　I　looked　back　at　Vince；　just　in　time　to　see　him　pull　a　translucent　white　plastic　tarp　off　a　corner　box。　He　wrapped　himself　in　the　tarp　like　a　shield；　and　then；　with　a　guttural　yell；　he　charged。　I　was　right　at　the　edge　of　the　ladder。　I　had　no　time　to　get　out　of　the　way；　I　just　turned　sideways　and　braced　myself　against　a　big　three…foot　pipe　against　the　ing　impact。　Vince　slammed　into　me。
　The　vial　went　flying　out　of　my　hand；　shattering　on　the　mesh。　The　jug　was　knocked　from　my　other　hand　and　tumbled　along　the　walkway；　ing　to　rest　at　the　lip　of　the　mesh　path。　Another　few　inches　and　it　would　go　over。　I　moved　toward　it。
　Still　hiding　behind　the　tarp；　Vince　smashed　into　me　again。　I　was　slammed　back　against　the　pipe。　My　head　clanged　on　steel。　I　slipped　on　the　brown　sludge　that　dripped　through　holes　in　the　mesh；　barely　kept　my　balance。　Vince　slammed　me　again。
　In　his　panic　he　never　realized　I　had　lost　my　weapons。　Or　perhaps　he　couldn't　see　through　the　tarp。　He　just　kept　pounding　me　with　his　full　body；　and　I　finally　slipped　on　the　sludge　and　went　down　on　my　knees。　I　immediately　scrambled　toward　the　jug；　which　was　about　ten　feet　away。　That　odd　behavior　made　Vince　stop　for　a　moment；　he　pulled　down　the　tarp；　saw　the　jug；　and　lunged　for　it；　vaulting　his　whole　body　forward　in　the　air。
　But　he　was　too　late。　I　had　my　hand　on　the　jug；　and　yanked　it　away；　just　as　Vince　landed；　tarp　and　all；　right　where　the　jug　had　been。　His　head　banged　hard　on　the　walkway　lip。　He　was　momentarily　stunned；　shaking　his　head　to　clear　it。
　And　I　grabbed　the　edge　of　the　tarp；　and　yanked　upward。
　Vince　yelled；　and　went　over　the　side。
　I　watched　as　he　hit　the　floor。　His　body　didn't　move。　Then　the　swarm　came　off　him；　sliding　into　the　air　like　his　ghost。　The　ghost　joined　Ricky　and　Julia　who　were　looking　up　at　me。　Then　they　turned　away　and　hurried　across　the　floor　of　the　fabrication　room；　jumping　over　the　octopus　arms　as　they　went。　Their　movements　conveyed　a　clear　sense　of　urgency。　You　might　even　think　they　were　frightened。
　Good；　I　thought。
　I　got　to　my　feet　and　headed　for　the　sprinkler　tanks。　The　instructions　were　stenciled　on　the　lower　tank。　It　was　easy　to　figure　out　the　valves。　I　twisted　the　inflow；　unscrewed　the　filler　cap；　waited　for　the　pressurized　nitrogen　to　hiss　out；　and　then　dumped　in　the　jug　of　phage。　I　listened　as　it　gurgled　into　the　tank。　Then　I　screwed　the　cap　back　on；　twisted　the　valve；　repressurized　with　nitrogen。
　And　I　was　done。
　I　took　a　deep　breath。
　I　was　going　to　win　this　thing；　after　all。
　I　rode　the　elevator　down；　feeling　good　for　the　first　time　all　day。
　　
　DAY　7　
　8：12　A。M。
　They　were　all　clustered　together　on　the　other　side　of　the　room…Julia；　Ricky；　and　now　Bobby；　as　well。　Vince　was　there；　too；　hovering　in　the　background；　but　I　could　sometimes　see　through　him；　his　swarm　was　slightly　transparent。　I　wondered　which　of　the　others　were　only　swarms　now。　I　couldn't　be　sure。　But　it　didn't　matter　now；　anyway。
　They　were　standing　beside　a　bank　of　puter　monitors　that　showed　every　parameter　of　the　manufacturing　process：　graphs　of　temperature；　output；　God　knows　what　else。　But　they　had　turned　their　backs　to　the　monitors。　They　were　watching　me。
　I　walked　calmly　toward　them；　in　measured　steps。　I　was　in　no　rush。　Far　from　it。　I　must　have　taken　a　full　two　minutes　to　cross　the　fabrication　room　to　where　they　were　standing。　They　regarded　me　with　puzzlement；　and　then　with　increasingly　open　amusement。　〃Well；　Jack；〃　Julia　said　finally。　〃How's　your　day　going？〃
　〃Not　bad；〃　I　said。　〃Things　are　looking　up。〃
　〃You　seem　very　confident。〃
　I　shrugged。
　〃You've　got　everything　under　control？〃　Julia　said。
　I　shrugged　again。
　〃By　the　way；　where　is　Mae？〃
　〃I　don't　know。　Why？〃
　〃Bobby's　been　looking　for　her。　He　can't　find　her　anywhere。〃
　〃I　have　no　idea；〃　I　said。　〃Why　were　you　looking　for　her？〃
　〃We　thought　we　should　all　be　together；〃　Julia　said；　〃when　we　finish　our　business　here。〃
　〃Oh；〃　I　said。　〃Is　that　what　happens　now？　We　finish？〃
　She　nodded　slowly。　〃Yes；　Jack。　It　is。〃
　I　couldn't　risk　looking　at　my　watch；　I　had　to　try　and　gauge　how　much　time　had　passed。　I　was　guessing　three　or　four　minutes。　I　said；　〃So；　what　do　you　have　in　mind？〃　Julia　began　to　pace。　〃Well；　Jack；　I'm　very　disappointed　in　how　things　have　gone　with　you。　I　really　am。　You　know　how　much　I　care　about　you。　I　would　never　want　anything　to　happen　to　you。　But　you're　fighting　us；　Jack。　And　you　won't　stop　fighting。　And　we　can't　have　that。〃
　〃I　see；〃　I　said。
　〃We　just　can't；　Jack。〃
　I　reached　in　my　pocket　and　brought　out　a　plastic　cigarette　lighter。　If　Julia　or　the　others　noticed；　they　gave　no　sign。
　She　kept　pacing。　〃Jack；　you　put　me　in　a　difficult　position。〃
　〃How's　that？〃
　〃You've　been　privileged　to　witness　the　birth　of　something　truly　new；　here。　Something　new　and　miraculous。　But　you　are　not　sympathetic；　Jack。〃
　〃No；　I'm　not。〃
　〃Birth　is　painful。〃
　〃So　is　death；〃　I　said。
　She　continued　to　pace。　〃Yes；〃　she　said。　〃So　is　death。〃　She　frowned　at　me。
　〃Something　the　matter？〃
　〃Where　is　Mae？〃　she　said　again。
　〃I　don't　know。　I　don't　have　the　faintest　idea。〃
　She　continued　to　frown。　〃We　have　to　find　her；　Jack。〃
　〃I'm　sure　you　will。〃
　〃Yes；　we　will。〃
　〃So　you　don't　need　me；〃　I　said。　〃Just　do　it　on　your　own。　I　mean；　you're　the　future；　if　I　remember　right。　Superior　and　unstoppable。　I'm　just　a　guy。〃
　Julia　started　walking　around　me；　looking　at　me　from　all　sides。　I　could　see　she　was　puzzled　by　my　behavior。　Or　appraising。　Maybe　I　had　overdone　it。　Gone　too　far。　She　was　picking　up　something。　She　suspected　something。　And　that　made　me　very　nervous。　I　turned　the　cigarette　lighter　over　in　my　hands；　nervously。
　〃Jack；〃　she　said。　〃You　disappoint　me。〃
　〃You　said　that　already。〃
　〃Yes；〃　she　said。