ssheldon.doomsdayconspiracy-第20部分

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beginning　to　lose　consciousness。　He　sank　down　on　his　knees。
　〃Oh；　God；　please　don't　let　me　die　now。　　Not　now　that　I'm　going　to　be　rich　and　famous。。。。〃
　〃Reggie　here。〃
　〃Was　the　order　filled？〃
　〃Yes；　sir。　　A　bit　overcooked　but　delivered　on　time。〃
　〃Excellent。〃
　
　When　Robert　arrived　at　Grove　Road　at　two　o'clock　in　the　morning　to　begin　his　surveillance；　he　was　confronted　with　an　enormous　traffic　jam。　The　street　was　filled　with　official　vehicles；　a　fire　engine；　ambulances；　and　three　police　cars。　　Robert　pushed　his　way　through　the　crowd　of　bystanders　and　hurried　over　to　the　center　of　activity。　　The　whole　building　had　been　engulfed　by　the　fire。　　From　the　outside　he　could　see　that　the　first…floor　flat　occupied　by　the　photographer　had　been　pletely　gutted。
　〃How　did　it　happen？〃　　Robert　asked　a　fireman。
　〃We　don't　know　yet。　　Stand　back；　please。〃
　〃My　cousin　lives　in　that　flat。　　Is　he　all　right？〃
　〃I'm　afraid　not。〃　　His　tone　became　sympathetic。
　〃They're　just　taking　him　out　of　the　building　now。〃
　
　Robert　watched　as　two　ambulance　attendants　pushed　a　gurney　carrying　a　body　into　the　ambulance。
　〃I　was　staying　with　him；〃　Robert　said。
　〃All　my　clothes　are　in　there。　　I'd　like　to　go　in　andThe　fireman　shook　his　head。
　〃It　wouldn't　do　you　any　good；　sir。　　There's　nothing　left　of　the　flat　but　ashes。〃
　
　Nothing　left　but　ashes。　　Including　the　photographs　and　the　precious　list　of　passengers　with　their　names　and　addresses。
　
　So　much　for　fucking　serendipity；　Robert　thought　bitterly。
　
　In　Washington　Dustin　Thornton　was　having　lunch　with　his　father…in…law　in　the　lavish　private　dining　room　in　Willard　Stone's　offices。　　Dustin　Thornton　was　nervous。　　He　was　always　nervous　in　the　presence　of　his　powerful　fatherin…law。
　
　Willard　Stone　was　in　a　good　mood。
　〃I　had　dinner　with　the　President　last　evening。　　He　told　me　that　he's　very　pleased　with　your　work；　Dustin。〃
　〃I'm　very　gratified。〃
　〃You're　doing　a　fine　job。　　You're　helping　to　protect　us　against　the　hordes。〃
　〃The　hordes？〃
　〃Those　who　would　try　to　bring　this　great　country　to　its　knees。　　But　it　is　not　just　the　enemy　outside　the　walls　we　have　to　beware　of。　　It　is　those　who　pretend　to　be　serving　our　country；　who　fail　to　do　their　duty。　Those　who　do　not　carry　out　their　orders。〃
　〃The　mavericks。〃
　〃That's　right；　Dustin。　　The　mavericks。　　They　must　be　punished。
　
　If…〃　A　man　walked　into　the　room。
　〃Excuse　me；　Mr。　Stone。
　
　The　gentlemen　have　arrived。　　They're　waiting　for　you。〃
　〃Yes。〃　　Stone　turned　to　his　son…in…law。
　〃Finish　your　lunch；　Dustin。　　I　have　something　important　to　take　care　of。　One　day　I　may　be　able　to　tell　you　about　it。〃
　
　he　streets　of　Zurich　were　filled　with　weird…looking　creatures　with　odd　sbapes；　misshapen　giants　with　large；　grotesque　bodies　and　tiny　eyes；　and　with　skin　the　color　of　boiled　fish。　　They　were　meat　eaters；　and　she　hated　the　fetid　smells　they　exuded　from　their　bodies。　　Some　of　the　females　wore　animal　skins；　the　remains　of　the　creatures　they　had　murdered。　　She　was　still　stunned　by　the　terrible　accident　that　had　taken　away　the　life　essence　of　her　panions。　　She　had　been　on　earth　for　four　cycles　of　what　these　strange…looking　beings　called　luna；　and　she　had　not　eaten　in　all　that　time。　　She　was　faint　from　thirst。　　The　only　water　she　had　been　able　to　drink　was　the　fresh　rainwater　in　the　farmer's　trough；　and　it　had　not　rained　since　the　night　she　arrived。　　The　rest　of　the　water　on　earth　was　undrinkable。　　She　had　gone　into　an　alien　feeding　place；　but　she　had　been　unable　to　stand　the　stench。　　She　had　tried　to　eat　their　raw　vegetables　and　fruit；　but　they　were　tasteless；　not　like　the　succulent　food　at　home。
　
　She　was　called　the　Graceful　One；　and　she　was　tall　and　stately　and　beautiful　with　luminous　green　eyes。　　She　had　adopted　the　appearance　of　an　earthling　after　she　left　the　site　of　the　crash；　and　she　walked　through　the　crowds　unnoticed。
　
　She　was　seated　at　a　table　in　a　hard；　unfortable　chair　that　had　been　built　for　the　human　body；　and　she　read　the　minds　of　the　creatures　around　her。
　
　Two　of　the　beings　were　seated　at　a　table　near　her。　　One　was　speaking　aloud。
　〃It's　the　chance　of　a　lifetime；　Franz！　　For　fifty　thousand　francs　you　can　get　in　at　the　start。　　You've　got　fifty　thousand　francs；　haven't　you？〃
　
　She　read　the　loud　thoughts　in　his　head。
　
　e　on；　you　swine。　　I　need　the　mission。
　〃Sure；　but　I　don't　know…〃　I'll　have　to　borrow　it　from　my　wife。
　〃Have　I　ever　given　you　bad　investment　advice？〃
　
　Make　up　your　mind。
　〃It's　a　lot　of　money。〃　　She'll　never　give　it　to　me。
　〃What　about　the　potential？　　There's　a　chance　to　make　millions。〃　Say　yes。
　〃All　right。　　I'm　in。〃　　Maybe　I　can　sell　some　of　her　jewelry。
　
　I　have　him！　　〃You'll　never　regret　it；　Franz。〃　　He　can　always　take　a　tax　loss。
　
　The　Graceful　One　had　no　idea　what　the　conversation　meant。
　
　At　the　far　end　of　the　restaurant；　a　man　and　woman　were　seated　at　a　table。　　They　were　talking　in　low　voices。　　She　stretched　her　mind　to　hear　them。
　〃Jesus　Christ！〃　　the　man　said。
　〃How　the　hell　could　you　get　pregnant？〃
　
　You　stupid　bitch！
　
　〃How　do　you　think　I　got　pregnant？〃
　
　Your　cock　did　it！　　Pregnant　was　how　these　beings　gestated；　procreating　clumsily　with　their　genitals；　like　their　animals　in　the　fields。
　〃What　are　you　going　to　do　about　it；　Tina？〃
　
　You've　got　to　get　an　abortion。
　〃What　do　you　expect　me　to　do？　　You　said　you　were　going　to　tell　your　wife　about　me。〃　　You　lying　bastard。
　〃Look；　honey；　I　am；　but　this　is　a　bad　time。〃　　I　was　crazy　to　ever　get　involved　with　you。　　I　should　have　known　you　were　trouble。
　〃It's　a　bad　time　for　me；　too；　Paul。　　I　don't　even　think　you　love　me。〃　Please　tell　me　you　do。
　〃Of　course　I　love　you。　　It's　just　that　my　wife　is　going　through　a　rough　period　right　now。〃　　I　don't　intend　to　lose　her。
　〃I'm　going　through　a　rough　period　right　now　too。　　Don't　you　understand？　I'm　having　your　baby。〃　　And　you're　damn　well　going　to　marry　me。　　Water　was　ing　from　her　eyes。
　〃Calm　down；　honey。　　I　tell　you；　everything　is　going　to　be　fine。　　I　want　the　baby　as　much　as　you　do。〃　　I'll　have　to　talk　her　into　an　abortion。　At　a　table　next　to　them；　a　male　creature　was　seated　alone。
　
　They　promised　me。　　They　said　the　race　was　fixed；　that　I　couldn't　lose；　and　like　a　fool；　I　turned　all　my　monry　over　to　them。　　I've　got　to　find　a　way　to　put　it　back　before　the　auditors　e。　　I　couldn't　stand　it　if　they　put　me　in　jail。　　I'll　kill　myself　first。　　I　swear　to　God；　I'll　kill　myself　At　another　table；　a　male　and　female　were　in　the　middle　of　a　discussion。　　。。。。。　　it's　nothing　like　that。　　It's　just　that　I've　got　this　beautiful　chalet　in　the　mountains；　and　I　thought　it　would　be　good　for　you　to　get　away　for　a　weekend　and　relax。〃　　We'll　spend　a　lot　of　time　relaxing　in　my　bed；　cherie。
　〃I　don't　know；　Claude。　　I've　never　gone　away　with　a　man　before。〃　　I　wonder　if　he　believes　that。
　〃Oui；　but　this　is　not　a　sex　thing。　　I　just　thought　of　the　chalet　because　you　said　you　needed　a　rest。　　You　can　think　of　me　as　your　brother。〃　　And　we　will　try　some　good；　oldfashioned　incest。
　
　The　Graceful　One　was　unaware　that　the　various　peopIe　were　speaking　in　different　languages；　for　she　was　able　to　filter　them　all　through　her　consciousness　and　understand　what　they　were　saying。
　
　I　must　find　a　way　to　get　in　touch　with　the　mothership；　she　thought。　She　took　out　the　small；　hand…held　silvercolored　transmitter。　　It　was　a　divided　neuronet　system；　half　of　it　consisting　of　living　organic　material　and　the　other　half　of　a　metallic　pound　from　another　galaxy。　The　organic　material　was　posed　of　thousands　of　single　cells；　so　that　as　they　died　off；　others　would　multiply；　keeping　the　connections　constant。　　Unfortunately；　the　dilitheum　crystal　that　activated　the　transmitter　had　broken　off　and　was　lost。　　She　had　tried　to　municate　with　her　ship；　but　the　transmitter　was　useless　without　it。
　
　She　tried　to　eat　another　leaf　of　lettuce；　but　she　could　no　longer　stand　the　stench。　　She　rose　and　started　toward　the　door。　　The　cashier　called　out　after　her；　〃Just　a　minute；　miss。　　You　haven't　paid　for　your　meal。〃
　〃I'm　sorry。　　I　do　not　have　your　medium　of　exchange。〃
　〃You　can　tell　that　to　the　police。〃
　
　The　Graceful　One　stared　into　the　cashier's　eyes　and　watched　her　go　limp。　She　turned　and　walked　out　of　the　feeding　place。
　
　I　must　find　the　crystal。　　They　are　waiting　to　hear　from　me。　　She　had　to　concentrate　to　focus　her　senses。　　But　everything　seemed　blurred　and　distorted。　　Without　water；　she　knew；　she　was　going　to　die　soon。
　
　Day　Five　Bern；　Switzerland
　
　Robert　had　e　to　a　dead　end。　　He　had　not　realized　how　much　he　had　counted　on　obtaining　Mothershed's　list　of　names。　　Up　in　smoke；　Robert　thought。　　Literally。
　
　The　trail　was　cold　now。　　I　should　have　gotten　the　list　when　I　was　in　Mothershed's　fiat。　　That　will　teach。　　me　t~teach。　　Of　course！　　A　thought　that　had　been　in　the　back　of　his　mind　suddenly　came　into　focus。　Hans　Beckerman　had　said；　〃Affenarsch！　　All　the　other　passengers　were　excited　about　seeing　the　UFO　and　those　dead　creatures　in　it；　but　this　old　man　kept　plaining　about　how　we　had　to　hurry　up　to　get　to　Bern　because　he　had　to　prepare　some　lecture　for　the　university。〃　　It　was　a　long　shot；　but　it　was　all　Robert　had。
　
　He　rented　a　car　at　the　Bern　airport　and　headed　for　the　university。
　
　He　turned　off　Rathausgasse；　the　main　street　of　Bern；　and　drove　to　Langgassestrasse；　where　the　University　of　Bern　was　located。　　The　university　is　posed　of　several　buildings；　the　main　one　a　large　four…story　stone　building　with　two　wings　and　large　stone　gargoyles　adorning　the　roof。　　At　each　end　of　the　courtyard　in　front　of　the　building　are　glass　skylights　over　classrooms；　and　at　the　rear　of　the　university　is　a　large　park　overlooking　the　Aare　River。
　
　Robert　walked　up　the　front　steps　of　the　administration　building　and　entered　the　reception　hall。　　The　only　information　Beckerman　had　given　him　was　that　the　passenger　was　German　and　that　he　was　preparing　his　lecture　for　Monday。
　
　A　student　directed　him　to　the　Office　of　the　Administration。　　The　woman　seated　behind　the　desk　was　a　formidable　figure。　　She　had　on　a　severely　tailored　suit；　blackframed　spectacles；　and　she　wore　her　hair　in　a　bun。　She　looked　up　as　Robert　entered　her　office。