gns.batsoutofhell-第23部分

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　　'All　right；　Professor？'
　　
　　For　the　first　time　Newman　was　aware　that　someone　was　standing　just　inside　the　open　gates。　A　tall　man　dressed　in　a　jungle　hat；　bat　jacket；　bandolier　across　his　chest。　'Don't　worry；　Professor。　I　had　him　covered　the　whole　time。　Had　to　be　careful　I　didn't　hit　either　of　you；　though。'
　　
　　Newman　nodded　to　the　BVF　soldier；　noting　the　thin　trickle　of　smoke　ing　from　the　barrel　of　the　Luger　in　his　hand。
　　
　　Thanks。'　he　murmured。　'Thanks　a　million。　I　was　lucky　you　happened　to　be　around。　I　should've　asked　for　a　guard　before。　I　told　'em　I　didn't　need　one。'
　　
　　'You've　had　one　all　along；'　the　soldier　told　him；　'only　you　didn't　know　it。　Night　and　day。　We　can't　take　chances　with　you；　Professor。　Whatever　the　public　might　think；　you're　the　one　man　who　stands　any　chance　of　ing　up　with　an　antidote。'
　　
　　'I　just　hope　I　can　justify　your　confidence。'　Newman　pulled　Susan　Wylie　close　to　him；　and　together　they　went　inside　and　closed　the　door。
　　
　　The　weather　was　changing。　Still　the　sun　beat　down；　but　now　its　heat　was　tempered　by　the　ing　of　autumn。　Each　morning　a　thick　mist　followed　the　dawn；　grey　vapour　which　dispersed　reluctantly　towards　mid…morning；　and　each　evening　brought　a　refreshing　coolness　to　the　parched　land。
　　
　　Fleets　of　helicopters　stood　at　the　ready　throughout　the　Midlands；　all　fitted　with　crop…spraying　attachments；　the　pilots　waiting　impatiently　for　the　thick　mist　to　evaporate。　From　the　north　Staffordshire　moors　as　far　south　as　Worcester；　from　the　Wash　to　the　Wrekin；　the　operation　stretched；　。the　largest　assault　on　insect　life　in　British　history。
　　
　　'Crazy；'　Tamperley　of　West　Midlands　Fertilizers　muttered　to　his　panion　as　they　watched　the　rays　of　the　sun　beginning　to　disperse　the　fog。　'It　won't　work。　I　could've　told　'em　that。'
　　
　　'Don't　see　no　reason　why　not。'　Whittaker　climbed　up　into　the　helicopter；　and　tapped　the　huge　tank　containing　insecticide。　'This　stuff　was　withdrawn　five　years　ago　because　it　was　proved　to　be　detrimental　to　wildlife。　Don't　see　why　it　shouldn't　kill　bats。'
　　
　　'I'll　believe　it　when　I　see　it。'　Tamperley　lit　a　cigarette。　'Reckon　we'll　be　on　the　move　in　about　twenty　minutes。'
　　
　　It　was　11。30　a。m。　before　they　took　off；　the　countryside　around　them　now　being　bathed　in　bright　sunshine。　Some　of　the　trees　below　were　already　showing　signs　of　brown　in　their　foliage。　Drought　or　not；　autumn　would　dominate　the　rural　scene　from　now　onwards。
　　
　　Whittaker　recognised　Chasetown　sprawling　below　them　and　the　dark　green　and　purple　of　Cannock　Chase　over　to　their　left。　Something　golden　glinted　in　the　sunlight；　the　ball　on　the　main　spire　of　Lichfield　Cathedral。　They　dropped　lower。
　　
　　Traffic　was　sparse。　An　isolated　munity；　even　on　a　small　island；　had　nowhere　to　go。　Smoke　hung　in　the　air　in　places。　Heath　and　forest　fires　still　burned；　but　they　had　been　abandoned　long　ago。　Town　fires　were　given　priority。
　　
　　Tamperley　turned　to　his　colleague。　'That's　the　place；'　he　said；　pointing　in　the　direction　of　a　tall　television　transmitter；　rising　like　a　lighthouse　out　of　a　dark　green　ocean。　'The　fields　between　those　two　woods。'
　　
　　Whittaker　nodded　and　began　connecting　up　various　attachments。　They　could　see　other　helicopters　already　at　work；　skimming　fields　and　woods；　turning；　going　back；　three　or　four　covering　a　large　expanse　of　arable　ground。　Organisation。　He　had　to　hand　it　to　the　authorities；　in　spite　of　what　Tamperley　said。　They　were　doing　everything　possible。　If　it　resulted　in　failure　then　they'd　done　their　best。　Nobody　could　blame　them；　only　that　professor　who　had　allowed　the　bats　to　escape。　It　was　all　his　fault。
　　
　　'OK；'　Tamperley　called。　They　were　flying　at　a　height　of　twenty　feet；　skimming　hedgerows；　rising　to　negotiate　a　couple　of　spinneys。　'Let　'er　go。'
　　
　　'Never　sprayed　woods　before；'　Whittaker　muttered　to　himself。　A　lifelong　member　of　the　Royal　Society　for　the　Protection　of　Birds；　he　realised　the　dangers　to　birdlife　from　toxic　sprays。　Yet　the　bats　had　to　be　destroyed；　otherwise　it　meant　the　end　of　everything。
　　
　　Back　and　forth　they　went；　methodically；　barely　missing　a　square　yard　on　a　20…acre　field；　Tamperley　knew　his　job。
　　
　　They　finished　the　field　and　turned　their　attention　to　the　spinneys；　gaining　additional　height　because　of　some　of　the　taller　trees。　Wood…pigeons　were　flying　aimlessly。　They　had　been　deprived　of　their　morning　feed　on　some　lush　clover　by　the　helicopters　and　now　there　was　no　peace　even　in　their　day…roosts。
　　
　　'Hey；　what's　that？'　Tamperley　yelled　above　the　roar　of　the　engine。
　　
　　Whitaker　looked　down　in　the　direction　the　pilot　pointed　and　saw　a　small　wood　with　dense　undergrowth。
　　
　　'What。。。'　he　began；　and　then　he　saw　it；　a　black　cloud　spiralling　upwards；　a　flock　of　living　creatures；　formation…less；　spreading　out　as　they　gained　height。　Has　first　thought　was　that　they　were　starlings。　Their　mode　of　flight　was　different；　though；　faster　and　more　erratic。　Their　aerobatics　would　have　been　the　envy　of　any　pilot。
　　
　　'It's　them！'　he　yelled。　'The　bats！'
　　
　　'Some　of　'em；'　Tamperley　shouted　back。　'That　spinney　must　be　one　of　their　roosting　places。　Well；　we　might　as　well　give　'em　the　works。　I'm　going　down　on　'em。　Let　'em　have　it！'
　　
　　Whittaker　increased　the　flow　of　insecticide　as　they　dipped。　The　spray　was　thick　and　yellow；　reminding　him　of　urine。　It　hit　the　bats；　the　sheer　force　of　the　liquid　sending　several　of　them　spinning　to　the　ground。　The　remainder　wheeled　and　jinked；　above　and　below　the　helicopter；　some　dashing　themselves　against　the　sides　of　the　machine　and　falling　earthwards；　lifeless。
　　
　　The　helicopter　was　stationary；　hovering；　the　full　force　of　the　nozzles　directed　immediately　beneath　it。　Bats　were　everywhere；　hurling　themselves　at　the　glass　of　the　cockpit　as　though　they　sensed　whence　this　liquid　death　came。
　　
　　There　was　a　brief　moment　during　which　the　two　men　thought　that　victory　was　theirs；　a　total　slaughter。　In　fact；　Tamperley　was　already　preparing　to　move　on　when　the　cockpit　was　darkened　by　shadows；　tiny　flickering　shapes　that　merged　into　near…total　darkness；　obscuring　the　sunlight。
　　
　　'Hell's　bells！'　Whittaker　croaked。　'Just　look　at　'em！'
　　
　　Bats　clung　to　every　available　inch　of　toughened　glass；　somehow　securing　a　hold　on　the　smooth　surface；　upside　down；　hundreds　of　malevolent　faces　staring　at　the　two　men　with　an　insane　hatred　beyond　prehension。
　　
　　'Jesus！　'　Tamperley　jerked　on　the　lever。　'Let's　get　back　to　base！'
　　
　　The　helicopter　responded；　moved　forward；　and　then　shuddered　to　a　standstill　as　though　a　brake　had　been　applied。　One　final　roar　from　the　engine；　and　then　it　died　away；　stuttering　into　silence。　The　two　men　could　hear　the　shrill　piping　of　their　attackers。
　　
　　'They've　clogged　the　vanes！'　Tamperley　screamed。
　　
　　Whittaker　watched　in　horror　as　the　pilot　tried　desperately　to　restart　the　engine；　but　they　were　already　embarking　upon　a　direct　downward　course；　hurtling　towards　the　spinney　below；　the　cockpit　a　coffin；　borne　by　the　bats　down　to　a　quarry　grave。
　　
　　With　a　screech　of　tearing　metal　and　splintering　wood　the　undercarriage　was　ripped　away　by　the　topmost　branches　of　a　tall　Corsican　pine；　the　trunk　spearing　into　the　cockpit。　The　machine　hung　precariously　for　a　couple　of　seconds；　its　fall　checked。　Then　the　tree　snapped　lower　down；　and　the　helicopter　plunged　on　the　last　stage　of　its　journey　of　death；　jagged　rocks　rushing　up　to　meet　it；　bats　whirring　above　as　though　in　triumph　at　their　victory；　then　scattering　in　every　direction　as　they　witnessed　the　final　destruction。
　　
　　Another　helicopter　which　had　seen　the　bizarre　scene　from　half…a…mile　away　hastened　towards　the　spinney；　the　grim…faced　pilot　noting　the　clouds　of　bats　which　dispersed　in　all　directions。
　　
　　'Looked　like　Tamperley；'　he　yelled　to　the　man　at　his　side。
　　
　　'If　it　was；　then　he's　bought　it　for　sure。　Go　easy；　Joe。　I　never　seen　nothin'　like　it！　We　don't　want　to　get　caught　up　in　a　cloud　o'　bleedin'　bats。'
　　
　　But　Joe　was　already　veering　away。　There　wasn't　a　bat　in　sight。　Just　a　column　of　black　smoke　rising　up　out　of　the　quarry　in　the　wood　as　flames　began　to　lick　greedily　at　the　lower　branches；　leaping　from　one　to　another　with　the　speed　of　a　frightened　squirrel。
　　
　　Nothing　could　be　done　to　help　the　two　men　in　the　blazing　wreckage。　They　were　already　in　the　final　stages　of　cremation。
　　
　　
　　　Chapter　Thirteen
　　
　　'Well；'　Haynes　said；　'The　spraying　operation　is　plete。　All　we　can　do　now　is　wait。　If　we　don't　poison　'em；　maybe　they'll　starve　without　insect　life　to　feed　on。'
　　
　　'God　knows　what　the　long…term　result　will　be；'　Newman　groaned。
　　
　　'We've　a　good　idea　what　it'll　be　if　we　don't　check　the　spread　of　this　virus。'
　　
　　'There's　no　pattern　to　the　bats'　behaviour　now；'　Professor　Newman　went　on；　'There　are　reports　from　both　rural　and　urban　areas。　We've　flushed　'em　out　of　cover；　and　they're　widespread　throughout　the　Midlands。'
　　
　　'The　human　death…toll　is　ejtimated　at　something　in　the　region　of　ten　thousand；'　Haynes　told　him。　He　turned　away　and　looked　out　of　the　window。　The　mist　was　thinning　across　the　Chase　as　the　early　morning　sunshine　finally　broke　through。　'We'll　probably　never　know　the　exact　figures；　as　a　lot　of　the　corpses　were　burned　in　the　fires。　People　won't　stand　for　it　much　longer。　Even　the　ordinary；　normally　placent　citizen　is　no　longer　prepared　to　shut　himself　away　in　his　house。　Food　supplies　are　running　out。　Those　brought　in　from　outside　are　not　being　distributed　as　they　should　be。　It's　a　case　of　the　strong　dominating　the　weak。　At　least　this　。spraying　idea　of　Rickers's　has　given　us　a　breathing　space。　Everybody's　just　waiting　now；　but　if　it　doesn't　work　。　。。　well；　I'd　rather　not　think　about　it。　That'll　be　the　end；'
　　
　　The　drone　of　helicopters　was　absent　from　the　rural　scene。　Seldom　were　vehicles　heard　at　all　now。　Aircraft　passed　over　on　their　flights　north　and　south；　but　only　government…authorised　planes　were　allowed　to　land　at　either　Elmdon　or　the　East　Midlands　Airport。
　　
　　And　gradually　the　sounds　of　insects　in　the　woods　and　fields　were　dying　away。　The　grasshopper's　chirruping