[科幻]宿主-第118部分

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ground。

　We　got　to　the　jeep’s　hiding　place　before　the　sun　had　climbed　over　the　eastern　peaks；　though　the　sky　
was　already　light　blue。　We　ducked　into　the　shallow　cave　just　as　the　first　rays　painted　the　desert　sand　
gold。

　Jared　grabbed　two　bottles　of　water　out　of　the　backseat；　tossed　one　to　me；　and　then　lounged　against　the　
wall。　He　gulped　down　half　a　bottle　and　wiped　his　mouth　with　the　back　of　his　hand　before　he　spoke。

　“I　could　tell　you　were　in　a　hurry　to　get　out　of　there；　but　we　need　to　wait　until　dark　if　you’re　planning　a　

smash　and　grab。”

　I　swallowed　my　mouthful　of　water。　“That’s　fine。　I’m　sure　they’ll　wait　for　us　now。”

　His　eyes　searched　my　face。

　“I　saw　your　Seeker；”　he　told　me；　watching　my　reaction。　“She’s…　energetic。”

　I　nodded。　“And　vocal。”

　He　smiled　and　rolled　his　eyes。　“She　doesn’t　seem　to　enjoy　the　acmodations　we　provided。”

　My　gaze　dropped　to　the　floor。　“Could　be　worse；”　I　mumbled。　The　strangely　jealous　hurt　I’d　been　feeling　

leaked；　uninvited；　into　my　voice。

　“That’s　true；”　he　agreed；　his　voice　subdued。

　“Why　are　they　so　kind　to　her？”　I　whispered。　“She　killed　Wes。”

　“Well；　that’s　your　fault。”

　I　stared　up　at　him；　surprised　to　see　the　slight　curve　of　his　mouth；　he　was　teasing　me。

　“Mine？”

　His　small　smile　wavered。　“They　didn’t　want　to　feel　like　monsters。　Not　again。　They’re　trying　to　make　up　

for　before；　only　a　little　too　late—and　with　the　wrong　soul。　I　didn’t　realize　that　would…　hurt　your　feelings。　

I　would　have　thought　you’d　like　it　better　that　way。”

　“I　do。”　I　didn’t　want　them　to　hurt　anyone。　“It’s　always　better　to　be　kind。　I　just…”　I　took　a　deep　breath。　
“I’m　glad　I　know　why。”

　Their　kindess　was　for　me；　not　for　her。　My　shoulders　felt　lighter。　

　

　“Long　night；”　he　mented。　“And　we’ve　got　another　one　ing。　We　should　sleep。”　
I　was　glad　for　his　suggestion。　I　knew　he　had　many　questions　about　exactly　what　this　raid　meant。　I　also　
knew　he　would　have　already　put　several　things　together。　And　I　didn’t　want　to　discuss　any　of　it。


　I　stretched　out　on　the　smooth　patch　of　sand　beside　the　jeep。　To　my　shock；　Jared　came　to　lie　beside　me；　


right　beside　me。　He　curled　around　the　curve　of　my　back。　
“Here；”　he　said；　and　he　reached　around　to　slide　his　fingers　under　my　face。　He　pulled　my　head　up　from　
the　ground　and　then　moved　his　arm　under　it；　making　a　pillow　for　me。　He　let　his　other　arm　drape　over　my　
waist。


　It　took　a　few　seconds　before　I　was　able　to　respond。　“Thanks。”　
He　yawned。　I　felt　his　breath　warm　the　back　of　my　neck。　“Get　some　rest；　Wanda。”　
Holding　me　in　what　could　only　be　considered　an　embrace；　Jared　fell　asleep　quickly；　as　he　had　always　


been　able　to　do。　I　tried　to　relax　with　his　arm　warm　around　me；　but　it　took　a　long　time。　
This　embrace　made　me　wonder　how　much　he　had　already　guessed。　
My　weary　thoughts　tangled　and　twisted。　Jared　was　right—it　had　been　a　very　long　night。　Though　not　half　


long　enough。　The　rest　of　my　days　and　nights　were　going　to　fly　by　as　if　they　were　only　minutes。　
The　next　thing　I　knew；　Jared　was　shaking　me　awake。　The　light　in　the　little　cavern　was　dim　and　orangey。　
Sunset。　
Jared　pulled　me　to　my　feet　and　handed　me　a　hiker’s　meal　bar—this　was　the　kind　of　rations　they　kept　


with　the　jeep。　We　ate；　and　drank　the　rest　of　our　water；　in　silence。　Jared’s　face　was　serious　and　focused。　
“Still　in　a　hurry？”　he　asked　as　we　climbed　into　the　jeep。　
No。　I　wanted　the　time　to　stretch　out　forever。　
“Yes。”　What　was　the　point　in　putting　it　off？　The　Seeker　and　her　body　would　die　if　we　waited　too　long；　


and　I　would　still　have　to　make　the　same　choice。


　“We’ll　hit　Phoenix；　then。　It’s　logical　that　they　wouldn’t　notice　this　kind　of　raid。　It　doesn’t　make　sense　for　
humans　to　take　your　cold…storage　tanks。　What　possible　use　could　we　have　for　them？”　
The　question　didn’t　sound　at　all　rhetorical；　and　I　could　feel　him　looking　at　me　again。　But　I　stared　ahead　

at　the　rocks　and　said　nothing。　
It　had　been　dark　for　a　while　by　the　time　we　traded　vehicles　and　got　to　the　freeway。　Jared　waited　a　few　
careful　minutes　with　the　inconspicuous　sedan’s　lights　off。　I　counted　ten　cars　passing　by。　Then　there　was　a　
long　darkness　between　the　headlights；　and　Jared　pulled　onto　the　road。　
The　trip　to　Phoenix　was　very　short；　though　Jared　kept　the　speed　scrupulously　below　the　limit。　Time　was　

　

city。　I　saw　the　hospital　from　the　road。　We　followed　another　car　up　the　exit　ramp；　moving　evenly；　without　
hurry。　
Jared　turned　into　the　main　parking　lot。　
“Where　now？”　he　asked；　tense。　
“See　if　this　road　continues　around　the　back。　The　tanks　will　be　by　a　loading　area。”　
Jared　drove　slowly。　There　were　many　souls　here；　going　in　and　out　of　the　facility；　some　of　them　in　scrubs。　

Healers。　No　one　paid　us　any　particular　attention。　
The　road　hugged　the　sidewalk；　then　curved　around　the　north　side　of　the　building　plex。　
“Look。　Shipping　trucks。　Head　that　way。”　
We　passed　between　a　wing　of　low　buildings　and　a　parking　garage。　Several　trucks；　delivering　medical　

supplies　no　doubt；　were　backed　into　receiving　ports。　I　scanned　the　crates　on　the　dock；　all　labeled。

　“Keep　going…　though　we　might　want　to　grab　some　of　those　on　the　way　back。　See—Heal…　Cool…　
Still？　I　wonder　what　that　one　is。”　
I　liked　that　these　supplies　were　labeled　and　left　unguarded。　My　family　wouldn’t　go　without　the　things　

they　needed　when　I　was　gone。When　I　was　gone；　it　seemed　that　phrase　was　tacked　on　to　all　of　my　

thoughts　now。　
We　rounded　the　back　of　another　building。　Jared　drove　a　little　faster　and　kept　his　eyes　forward—there　
were　people　here；　four　of　them；　unloading　a　truck　onto　a　dock。　It　was　the　exactness　of　their　movements　
that　caught　my　attention。　They　didn’t　handle　the　smallish　boxes　roughly；　quite　the　contrary；　they　placed　
them　with　infinite　care　onto　the　waist…high　lip　of　concrete。

　I　didn’t　really　need　the　label　for　confirmation；　but　just　then；　one　of　the　unloaders　turned　his　box　so　the　

black　letters　faced　me　directly。　
“This　is　the　place　we　want。　They’re　unloading　occupied　tanks　right　now。　The　empty　ones　won’t　be　far…　
Ah！　There；　on　the　other　side。　That　shed　is　half　full　of　them。　I’ll　bet　the　closed　sheds　are　all　the　way　full。”

　Jared　kept　driving　at　the　same　careful　speed；　turning　the　corner　to　the　side　of　the　building。　
He　snorted　quietly。　
“What？”　I　asked。　
“Figures。　See？”　
He　jerked　his　chin　toward　the　sign　on　the　building。　
This　was　the　maternity　wing。　


　

　His　eyes　flashed　to　my　face　when　I　said　that；　and　then　back　to　the　road。

　“We’ll　have　to　wait　for　a　bit。　Looked　like　they　were　almost　finished。”

　Jared　circled　the　hospital　again；　then　parked　at　the　back　of　the　biggest　lot；　away　from　the　lights。

　He　killed　the　engine　and　slumped　against　the　seat。　He　reached　over　and　took　my　hand。　I　knew　that　he　

was　about　to　ask；　and　I　tried　to　prepare　myself。

　“Wanda？”

　“Yes？”

　“You’re　going　to　save　the　Seeker；　aren’t　you？”

　“Yes；　I　am。”

　“Because　it’s　the　right　thing　to　do？”　he　guessed。

　“That’s　one　reason。”

　He　was　silent　for　a　moment。

　“You　know　how　to　get　the　soul　out　without　hurting　the　body？”

　My　heart　thumped　hard　once；　and　I　had　to　swallow　before　I　could　answer。　“Yes。　I’ve　done　it　before。　In　

an　emergency。　Not　here。”

　“Where？”　he　asked。　“What　was　the　emergency？”

　It　was　a　story　I’d　never　told　them　before；　for　obvious　reasons。　It　was　one　of　my　best。　Lots　of　action。　

Jamie　would　have　loved　it。　I　sighed　and　began　in　a　low　voice。　
“On　the　Mists　Planet。　I　was　with　my　friend　Harness　Light　and　a　guide。　I　don’t　remember　the　guide’s　

name。　They　called　me　Lives　in　the　Stars　there。　I　already　had　a　bit　of　a　reputation。”

　Jared　chuckled。

　“We　were　making　a　pilgrimage　across　the　fourth　great　ice　field　to　see　one　of　the　more　celebrated　crystal　

cities。　It　was　supposed　to　be　a　safe　route—that’s　why　there　were　only　three　of　us。

　“Claw　beasts　like　to　dig　pits　and　bury　themselves　in　the　snow。　Camouflage；　you　know。　A　trap。

　“One　moment；　there　was　nothing　but　the　flat；　endless　snow。　Then；　the　next　moment；　it　seemed　like　the　

entire　field　of　white　was　exploding　into　the　sky。

　“An　average　adult　Bear　has　about　the　mass　of　a　buffalo。　A　full…grown　claw　beast　is　closer　to　the　mass　of　
a　blue　whale。　This　one　was　bigger　than　most。　

　

　A　car　drove　slowly　down　the　side　of　the　parking　lot。　We　sat　silent　until　it　had　passed。

　“I　hesitated。　I　should　have　started　running；　but…　my　friend　was　dying　there　on　the　ice。　Because　of　that　
hesitation；　I　would　have　died；　too；　if　the　claw　beast　hadn’t　been　distracted。　I　found　out　later　that　our　
guide—I　wish　I　could　remember　his　name！—had　attacked　the　claw　beast’s　tail；　hoping　to　give　us　a　
chance　to　run。　The　claw　beast’s　attack　had　stirred　up　enough　snow　that　it　was　like　a　blizzard。　The　lack　of　
visibility　would　help　us　escape。　He　didn’t　know　it　was　already　too　late　for　Harness　Light　to　run。

　“The　claw　beast　turned　on　the　guide；　and　his　second　left　leg　kicked　us；　sending　me　flying。　Harness　
Light’s　upper　body　landed　beside　me。　His　blood　melted　the　snow。”

　I　paused　to　shudder。

　“My　next　action　made　no　sense；　because　I　had　no　body　for　Harness　Light。　We　were　midway　between　
cities；　much　too　far　to　run　to　either。　It　was　probably　cruel；　too；　to　take　him　out　with　no　painkillers。　But　I　
couldn’t　stand　to　let　him　die　inside　the　broken　half　of　his　Bear　host。

　“I　used　the　back　of　my　hand—the　ice…cutting　side。　It　was　too　wide　a　blade…　It　caused　a　lot　of　damage。　
I　could　only　hope　that　Harness　Light　was　far　gone　enough　that　he　wouldn’t　feel　the　extra　pain。

　“Using　my　soft　inside　fingers；　I　coaxed　Harness　Light　from　the　Bear’s　brain。

　“He　was　still　alive。　I　barely　paused　to　ascertain　this。　I　shoved　him　into　the　egg　pocket　in　the　center　of　my　
body；　between　the　two　hottest　hearts。　This　would　keep　him　from　dying　of　cold；　but　he　would　only　last　a　
few　short　minutes　without　a　body。　And　where　would　I　find　a　host　body　in　this　empty　waste？

　“I　thought　of　trying　to　share　my　host；　but　I　doubted　I　could　stay　conscious　through　the　procedure　to　
insert　him　into　my　own