wt.theyearofthequietsun-第28部分

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　　Voice：　〃Roger。　We've　got　a　hole　in　the　fence　at　the　northwest…some　bastard　tried　to　put　a　truck　through。　It's　still　burning；　maybe　that'll　stop　them。　Over。〃
　　Voice：　〃You　must　hold　them；　Corporal。　I　can't　send　you　any　men…we　have　a　double　red　here。　Out。〃
　　The　channel　fell　silent；　closing　off　the　firefight。
　　Arthur　Saltus　stared　at　the　machine　in　consternation；　knowing　the　first　suspicions　of　what　might　have　happened。　He　listened　to　the　small　sounds　of　Moresby　working　about　the　bench；　guessing　what　he　was　doing；　the　sound　of　cartridges　being　emptied　from　boxes　was　quickly　recognizable；　a　rattle　of　paper　was　the　map　being　unfolded。
　　Voice：　〃Eagle　one！　The　bandits　have　hit　us…hit　us　at　the　northwest　corner。　I　count　twelve　of　them；　spread　out　over　the　slope　below　the　fence。　They've　got　two…damn　it！…two　mortars　and　they're　lobbing　them　in。　Over。〃　The　harsh；　half…shrieking　voice　was　punctuated　by　the　dull　thump　of　mortar　fire。
　　Voice：　〃Have　they　penetrated　the　fence？　Over。〃
　　Voice：　〃Negative…negative。　That　burning　truck　is　holding　them。　I　think　they'll　try　some　other　way…blow　a　hole　in　the　fence　if　they　can。　Over。〃
　　Voice：　〃Hold　them；　Corporal。　They　are　a　diversion；　we　have　the　main　attack　here。　Out。〃
　　Voice：　〃Damn　it；　Lieutenant…〃　Silence。
　　The　pause　was　of　short　duration。
　　Voice：　〃Moresby；　Air　Force　Intelligence；　calling　Chicago　or　the　Chicago　area。　e　in；　Chicago。〃
　　Arthur　Saltus　listened　to　Moresby's　efforts　to　make　radio　contact　with　the　world　outside；　and　listened　to　the　ensuing　dialogue　between　Moresby　and　Sergeant　Nash　holding　somewhere　west　of　Chicago。　He　sucked　breath　in　a　great　startled　gasp　when　he　heard　the　Chicago　statement…it　hit　him　hard　in　the　belly…and　listened　in　near…disbelief　at　the　exchange　which　followed。　Baja　California　clearly　indicated　the　shortwave　signals　were　being　bounced　to　the　Orient：　that　was　where　the　Harrys　were　and　that　was　where　they　had　been　called　in　from。　The　Chinese　at　last　were　retaliating　for　the　loss　of　their　two　railroad　towns。　It　was　likely　that　now…sixteen　months　after　the　strike…Lake　Michigan　and　the　lands　ad　joining　it　were　as　radioactive　as　the　farming　area　around　Yungning。　They　had　retaliated。
　　But　who　called　it　in？　Who　were　the　bandits？　What　in　hell　were　ramjets？　That　was　a　kind　of　aircraft。
　　Voice：　〃。　。　。　Fifth　Army　HQ　has　been　re…established　west　of　the　Naval　Training　Station；　but　you'll　pass　through　our　lines　long　before　that　point。　Look　for　the　sentries。　Use　care；　sir。　Be　alert　for　ramjets　between　your　position　and　ours。　They　are　heavily　armed。　Over。〃
　　Moresby　thanked　the　man　and　went　out。
　　The　tape　repeated　a　snapping　sound　that　was　Moresby　shutting　off　his　radio；　and　a　moment　later　the　tape　itself　went　silent　as　he　stopped　the　recorder。　Arthur　Saltus　waited…listening　for　a　postscript　of　some　kind　when　William　returned　from　his　target　and　checked　in。　The　tape　went　on　and　on　repeating　nothing；　until　at　last　his　own　voice　jumped　out　at　him：　〃Mark。〃
　　He　was　dissatisfied。　He　let　the　machine　run　through　the　end　of　the　reel　but　there　was　nothing　more。　Moresby　had　not　returned　to　the　shelter…but　Saltus　knew　he　would　not　attempt　to　reach　Fifth　Army　headquarters　near　Chicago；　not　in　the　bare　fifty　hours　permitted　him　on　target　with　a　firefight　underway　somewhere　outside。　He　might　try　for　Joliet　if　the　route　was　secure　but　he　certainly　wouldn't　penetrate　far　into　hostile　territory　with　a　deadline　over　his　head。　He　had　gone　out；　he　hadn't　e　back　inside。
　　But　yet　Saltus　was　dissatisfied。　Something　nagged　at　his　attention；　something　that　wasn't　quite　right；　and　he　stared　at　the　tape　recorder　for　a　long　time　in　an　effort　to　place　the　wrongness。　Some　insignificant　little　thing　didn't　fit　smoothly　into　place。　Saltus　rewound　the　tape　to　the　beginning　and　played　it　forward　a　second　time。　He　put　down　the　birthday　bottle　to　listen　attentively。
　　When　it　was　finished　he　was　certain　of　a　wrongness；　something　on　the　tape　plucked　at　his　worried　attention。
　　And　yet　a　third　time。　He　hunched　over　the　machine。
　　In　order：
　　William　making　his　preliminary　report；　two　voices；　worried　over　the　bandits　and　the　mortars　at　the　northwest　corner；　plus　the　fighting　at　the　main　gate；　William　again；　calling　Chicago；　Sergeant　Nash　responding；　with　a　dialogue　on　the　Chicago　situation　and　an　invitation　to　join　them　at　the　relocated　headquarters。　A　farewell　word　of　thanks　from　William；　and　a　snap　of　the　radio　being　shut　off；　a　moment　later　the　tape　itself　went　silent　when　William　turned　off　the　recorder　and　left　the　shelter…
　　There…that　was　it。
　　The　tape　went　dead　when　the　recorder　was　turned　off。　There　were　no　after…sounds　of　activity　about　the　bench；　no　final　message…there　was　nothing　to　indicate　William　had　ever　touched　the　recorder　again。　He　had　shut　off　the　radio　and　the　recorder　in　one…two　order　and　quit　the　room。　The　tape　should　have　ended　there；　stopped　there。　It　did　not。　Saltus　looked　at　his　watch；　squinting　at　the　sweep　hand。　He　ran　the　tape　forward　yet　another　time；　from　the　point　when　William　had　shut　it　off　to　the　point　when　he　turned　it　on　again　and　said：　〃Mark。〃
　　The　elapsed　time　was　one　minute；　forty…four　seconds。　Someone　after　William　had　done　that。　Someone　else　had　opened　the　shelter；　pilfered　the　stores；　donned　winter　clothing；　and　listened　to　the　taped　report。　Someone　else　had　let　the　machine　run　on　another　minute　and　forty…four　seconds　before　shutting　it　off　and　taking　his　leave。　The　visitor　may　have　returned；　but　William　never　did。
　　Arthur　Saltus　felt　that　fair　warning。　He　closed　the　corridor　door　and　thumbed　a　manual　switch　to　keep　the　shelter　lights　on。　An　Army…issue　automatic　was　taken　from　the　stores　and　strapped　around　his　waist。
　　Another　mouth…filling　pull　from　the　bottle；　and　he　rolled　the　tape　back　to　his　〃Mark。〃
　　〃Saltus　checking　in。　That　was　my　mark　and　this　is　my　birthday；　23　November；　in　the　nice　round　number　year　of　2000。　I　am　fifty　years　old　but　I　don't　look　a　day　over　twenty…five…chalk　it　up　to　clean　living。　Hello；　Katrina。　Hello；　Chaney。　And　hello　to　you；　Mr。　Gilbert　Seabrooke。　Is　that　nosey　little　man　from　Washington　still　knocking　around　back　there？
　　〃I　arrived　at　10：55　or　11：02　something；　depending　on　which　timepiece　you　read。　I　say　something　because　I　don't　yet　know　if　it's　ack…emma　or　the　other…I　haven't　put　my　nose　outside　to　test　the　wind。　I　have　lost　all　faith　in　engineers　and　mercury　protons；　but　they'd　better　not　cheat　me　out　of　my　full　birthday。　When　I　walk　out　that　door　I　want　to　see　bright　sunshine　on　the　greensward…morning　sunshine。　I　want　birds　singing　and　rabbits　rabbiting　and　all　that　jazz。
　　〃Katrina；　the　housekeeping　is　awfully　sloppy　around　here：　it's　poor　ship。　Dust　on　the　furniture；　the　floors；　lights　burned　out；　empty　boxes　littering　the　place…it's　a　mess。　Strangers　have　been　wandering　in　and　out；　helping　themselves　to　the　drygoods　and　pinching　the　groceries。　I　guess　somebody　found　a　key　to　the　place。
　　〃Everything　you　heard　before　my　mark　was　William's　report。　He　didn't　e　back　to　finish　it；　and　he　didn't　go　up　to　Chicago　or　anywhere　near　there…you　can　rely　on　that。〃　The　bantering　tone　was　dropped。　〃He's　outside。〃
　　Arthur　Saltus　began　a　straightforward　recital　of　all　that　he'd　found。　He　ticked　off　the　missing　items　from　the　stores；　the　number　of　empty　boxes　stacked　haphazardly　along　the　wall；　the　used　water　cans；　the　two　lanterns　which　had　seen　but　little　service…William　may　have　tested　the　one　found　on　the　bench…the　debris　on　the　floor；　the　insignia；　and　the　peculiarity　of　the　tape　being　rolled　forward。　He　invited　his　listeners　to　make　the　same　timedelay　test　he'd　made　and　then　offer　a　better　explanation　if　they　didn't　care　for　his。
　　He　said：　〃And　when　you　e　up　here；　civilian；　just　double…check　the　stores；　count　the　empties　again　to　see　if　our　visitor　has　been　back。　And　hey…arm　yourself；　mister。　You'd　damned　well　better　shoot　straight　if　you　have　to　shoot　at　all。　Remember　something　we　taught　you。〃
　　Saltus　flicked　off　the　machine　to　prevent　the　tape　from　listening　to　him　take　a　drink…as　difficult　as　that　might　be…and　then　flicked　it　on　again。
　　〃I'm　going　topside　to　search　for　Wffliam…I'm　going　to　try　tailing　him。　Lord　only　knows　what　I'll　find　after　sixteen　months　but　I'm　going　to　try。　It's　likely　he　did　one　of　two　things：　either　he'd　go　for　Joliet　to　find　out　what　he　could　about　that　Chicago　thing；　or　he'd　jump　into　the　squabble　if　it　was　alongside。
　　〃If　the　squabble　was　here…on　the　station…I　think　he'd　run　for　the　northwest　corner　to　help　the　Corporal；　he'd　have　to　get　into　the　fight。〃　Short　pause。　〃I'm　going　up　to　take　a　look　at　that　corner；　but　if　I　don't　find　anything　I'll　run　into　Joliet。　I'm　in　the　same　boat　now　with　old　William…I've　got　to　know　what　happened　to　Chicago。〃　He　stared　solemnly　at　the。　empty　space　in　his　bottle　and　added：　〃Katrina；　this　sure　knocks　hell　out　of　your　survey。　All　that　studying　for　nothing。〃
　　Saltus　stopped　talking　but　let　the　machine　run　on。
　　He　plugged　in　a　radio　and　connected　the　leads　to　the　outside　antenna。　After　a　period　of　band　searching；　he　reported　back　to　the　tape　recorder。
　　〃Radio　negative。　Nothing　at　all　on　the　GI　channels。〃　Another　slow　sweep　of　the　bands。　〃That's　damned　funny；　isn't　it？　Nobody's　playing　the　top　ten　platters。〃
　　Saltus　switched　over　to　the　civilian　wavelengths　and　monitored　them　carefully。　〃The　forty…　and　eighty…meter　bands　are　likewise　negative。　Everybody　is　keeping　their　mouths　shut。　What　do　you　suppose　they're　scared　of？〃　He　went　back　to　a　military　channel　and　turned　up　the　gain　to　peak；　hearing　nothing　but　an　airy　whisper。　The　lack　of　munications　nettled　him。
　　The　send　button　was　depressed。
　　〃Navy　boot；　e　in。　e　in；　boot；　you　know　me…　I　caddied　for　the　Admiral　at　Shoreacres。　Saltus　calling　Navy　boot。　Over。〃
　　He　reported　himself　two　or　three　times　on　several　channels。
　　The　radio　crackled　a　sudden　mand。　〃Get　off　the　air；　you　idiot！　They'll　get　a　fix　on　you！〃　It　went　silent。
　　Saltus　was　so　startled　he　turned　off　the　radio。
　　To　the　tape　recorder：　〃Chaney；　did　you　hear　that？　There　is　somebody　out　there！　They　don't　have　much　going　for　them…the　power　was　weak；　or　they　were　a　long　ways　off…but　there　is　somebody　out　there。　Scared　spitless；　too。　T