dk.nightchills-第30节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　The　last　man　was　no　older　than　thirty；　and　he　was　the　only　one　of　the　three　who　could　be　called　handsome。　Six　feet。　Lean
　and　muscular。　Thick　brown　hair。　A　broad　brow。　Peculiar　green…gray　eyes　with　long　lashes　that　any　woman　would　have　been　proud　to　have　for　her　own。　Very　rectangular　features　and　an　especially　strong　jaw　line　and　chin。　He　somewhat　resembled　the　young　Rex　Harrison。
　〃Michel　Picard；〃　Salsbury　said。　〃French。　Speaks　fluent　English。　He's　been　a　mercenary　for　four　years。〃
　〃Which　will　it　be？〃　Klinger　asked。
　〃Picard；　I　think。〃
　〃Let's　get　on　with　it；　then。〃
　Saisbury　turned　to　Rossner　and　said；　〃Glenn；　there's　a　folded　canvas　drop　cloth　on　my　desk。　Bring　it　here。〃
　Rossner　went　to　the　desk；　came　back　with　the　cloth。
　〃Peter；　you　help　him　unfold　it　on　the　floor。〃
　A　minute　later　the　nine…foot…square　canvas　sheet　was　spread　out　in　the　middle　of　the　room。
　〃Michel；　stand　in　the　middle　of　the　cloth。〃　The　Frenchman　obeyed。
　〃Michel；　what　am　I？〃
　〃You　are　the　key。〃
　〃And　what　are　you？〃
　〃I　am　the　lock。〃
　〃You　will　do　what　I　tell　you　to　do。〃　〃Yes。　Of　course；〃　Picard　said。
　〃Relax；　Michel。　You　are　very　relaxed。〃　〃Yes。　I　feel　fine。〃
　〃You　are　very　happy。〃
　Picard　smiled。
　〃You　will　remain　happy；　regardless　of　what　happens　to　you　in　the　next　few　minutes。　Is　that　understood？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃You　will　not　attempt　to　stop　Peter　and　Glenn　from　carrying　out　the　orders　I　give　them；　regardless　of　what　those　orders　are。　Is　that　understood？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　Taking　a　three…foot　length　of　heavy　nylon　cord　from　a　pocket　of　his　white　laboratory　smock；　Salsbury　said；　〃Peter；　take　this。
　Slip　it　about　Michel's　neck　as　if　you　were　going　to　strangle　him…but　proceed　no　further　than　that。〃
　Holbrook　stepped　behind　the　Frenchman　and　looped　the　cord　around　his　throat。
　〃Michel；　are　you　relaxed？〃
　〃Oh；　yes。　Quite　relaxed。〃
　〃Your　hands　are　at　your　sides　now。　You　will　keep　them　at　your　sides　until　I　tell　you　to　move　them。〃
　Still　smiling；　Picard　said；　〃All　right。〃
　〃You　will　smile　as　long　as　you　are　able　to　smile。〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃And　even　when　you　are　no　longer　able　to　smile；　you'll　know　this　is　for　the　best。〃
　Picard　smiled。
　〃Glenn；　you　will　observe。　You　will　not　bee　involved　in　the　little　drama　these　two　are　about　to　act　out。〃
　〃I　won't　bee　involved；〃　Rossner　said。
　〃Peter；　you　will　do　what　I　tell　you。〃　The　big　man　nodded。　〃Without　hesitation。〃　〃Without　hesitation。〃　〃Strangle　Michel。〃
　If　the　Frenchman's　smile　slipped；　it　was　only　by　the　slightest　fraction。
　Then　Holbrook　jerked　on　both　ends　of　the　cord。
　Picard's　mouth　flew　open。　He　seemed　to　be　trying　to　scream；　but　he　had　no　voice。　He　began　to　gag。
　Although　Holbrook　was　wearing　a　long…sleeved　shirt；　Salsbury　could　see　the　muscles　bunching　and　straining　in　his　thick　arms。
　Each　desperate　breath　that　Picard　drew　produced　a　thin；　rattling　wheeze。　His　eyes　bulged。　His　face　was　flushed。
　〃Pull　tighter；〃　Salsbury　told　Holbrook。
　The　Englishman　obliged。　A　fierce　grin；　not　of　humor　but　of　effort；　seemed　to　transform　his　face　into　a　death's　head。
　Picard　fell　against　Holbrook。
　Holbrook　stepped　back。
　Picard　went　to　his　knees。
　His　hands　were　still　at　his　sides。　He　was　making　no　effort　to　save　himself。
　〃Jesus　jump　to　hell；〃　Klinger　said；　amazed；　numbed；　unable　to　speak　above　a　whisper。
　Shuddering；　convulsing；　Picard　lost　control　of　his　bladder　and　bowels。
　Salsbury　was　pleased　that　he　had　thought　to　provide　the　canvas　dropcloth。
　Seconds　later　Holbrook　stepped　away　from　Picard；　his　task　pleted。　The　garrote　had　made　deep；　angry　red　impressions　in　the　palms　of　his　hands。
　Salsbury　took　another　length　of　cord　from　another　pocket　in　his　smock　and　gave　it　to　Rossner。　〃Do　you　know　what　that　is；　Glenn？〃
　〃Yes。〃　He　had　watched　impassively　as　Holbrook　murdered　the　Frenchman。
　〃Glenn；　I　want　you　to　give　the　cord　to　Peter。〃　Without　even　pausing　to　think　about　it；　Rossner　placed　the　second　garrote　in　the　Englishman's　hands。
　〃Now　turn　your　back　to　Peter。〃
　Rossner　turned。
　〃Are　you　relaxed；　Glenn？〃
　〃Relax。　Be　calm。　Don't　worry　about　anything　at　all。　That's　an　order。〃
　The　lines　in　Rossner's　face　softened。
　〃How　do　you　feel；　Glenn？〃
　〃Relaxed。〃
　〃Good。　You　won't　try　to　keep　Peter　from　obeying　the　orders　I　give　him；　regardless　of　what　those　orders　are。〃
　〃I　won't　interfere；〃　Rossner　said。
　Salsbury　turned　to　the　Englishman。　〃Loop　that　cord　around　Glenn's　neck　as　you　did　with　Michel。〃
　With　an　expert　flip　and　twist　of　the　garrote；　Holbrook　was　in　position。　He　waited　for　orders。
　〃Glenn；〃　Salsbury　said；　〃are　you　tense？〃
　〃No。　I'm　relaxed。〃
　〃That's　fine。　Just　fine。　You　will　continue　to　be　relaxed。　Now；　I'm　going　to　tell　Peter　to　kill　you…and　you　are　going　to　permit　him　to　do　that。　Is　that　clear？〃
　〃Yes。　I　understand。〃　His　placid　expression　didn't　waver。
　Don　t　you　want　to　live？
　〃Yes。　Yes；　I　want　to　live。〃
　〃Then　why　are　you　willing　to　die？〃
　〃I…I…〃　He　looked　confused。
　〃You　are　willing　to　die　because　refusal　to　obey　the　key　means　pain　and　death　anyway。　Isn't　that　right；；　Glenn？〃
　〃That's　right。〃
　Salsbury　watched　the　two　men　closely　for　signs　of　panic。　There　were　none。　Nor　even　any　of　stress。
　The　stench　from　Michel　Picard's　fouled　body　was　nearly　overpowering　and　getting　worse。
　Rossner　surely　knew　what　was　about　to　happen　to　him。　He　had　seen　Michel　die；　had　been　told　he　would　die　in　the　same　way。　Yet　he　stood　unmoving；　apparently　unafraid。
　He　was　willing　to　mit　what　amounted　to　suicide　rather　than　disobey　the　key。　In　fact　disobedience　was　literally　inconceivable　to　him。
　〃Total　control；〃　the　general　said。　〃Yet　they　don't　look　or　behave　like　zombies。〃
　〃Because　they　aren't。　There's　nothing　supernatural　involved。　Just　the　ultimate　in　behavior　modification　techniques。〃　Salsbury　was　elated。　〃Peter；　give　me　the　cord。　Thank　you。　You　have　both　done　well。　Exceptionally　well。　Now；　I　want　you　to　wrap　Michel's　body　in　the　canvas　and　move　it　to　the　next　room。　Wait　there　until　I　have　additional　orders　for　you。〃
　As　if　they　were　a　pair　of　ordinary　laborers　talking　about　how　to　move　a　load　of　bricks　from　here　to　there；　Rossner　and　Holbrook　quickly　discussed　the　job　at　hand。　When　they　had　decided　on　the　best　way　to　roll　and　carry　the　corpse；　they　set　to　work。
　〃Congratulations；〃　Klinger　said。　He　was　perspiring。　Cool；　dry；　steady…eyed　Ernst　Klinger　was　sweating　like　a　pig。
　What　do　you　think　of　the　puter　lights　now？　Salsbury
　wondered。　Do　they　look　as　Christmasy　as　they　did　ten　minutes　ago？
　The　puter　room　smelled　of　lemons。　Salsbury　had　used　an　aerosol　spray　to　get　rid　of　the　odor　of　feces　and　urine。
　He　took　a　bottle　of　whiskey　from　his　desk　drawer　and　poured　himself　a　shot　to　celebrate。
　Klinger　had　a　double　shot　to　steady　his　nerves。　When　he　had　tossed　it　back　he　said；　〃And　now　what？〃
　〃The　field　test。〃
　〃You've　mentioned　that　before。　But　why？　Why　can't　we　go　ahead　with　the　Middle　East　plan　as　Leonard　outlined　it　in　Tahoe；　nearly　two　years　ago？　We　know　the　drug　works；　don't　we？　And　we　know　the　subliminals　work。〃
　〃I　achieved　the　desired　results　with　Holbrook；　Rossner；　and　poor　Picard；〃　Salsbury　said；　sipping　his　whiskey。　〃But　it　doesn't　necessarily　follow　that　everyone　will　react　as　they　have。　I　can't　possibly　have　plete　confidence　in　the　program　until　I've　treated　and　observed　and　tested　a　few　hundred　subjects　of　both　sexes　and　of　all　ages。　Furthermore；　our　three　mercenaries　were　treated　and　responded　in　controlled　lab　situations。　Before　we　can　take　the　extraordinary　risks　involved　with　something　like　the　Middle　East　plan…where　we've　got　to　create　a　new　subliminal　series　for　another　culture　and　in　another　language…。　we've　simply　got　to　know　what　the　results　will　be　in　the　field。〃
　Klinger　poured　himself　another　shot　of　whiskey。　As　he　lifted　the　glass　to　his　lips；　a　look　of　fear　flitted　across　his　face。　It　lasted　no　more　than　a　second　or　two。　Pretending　to　be　thinking　about　the　field　test；　he　stared　at　the　liquor　in　his　glass　and　then　at　the　bottle　on　the　desk　and　then　at　Salsbury's　glass。
　Laughing；　Salsbury　said；　〃Don't　worry；　Ernst。　I　wouldn't　slip　the　drug　into　my　own　Jack　Daniels。　Besides；　you're　not　a　potential　subject。　You're　my　partner。〃
　Klinger　nodded。　Nevertheless；　he　put　his　glass　down　without　tasting　the　whiskey。　〃Where　would　you　run　a　field　test　like　this？〃
　〃Black　River；　Maine。　It's　a　small　town　near　the　Canadian　border。〃
　〃Why　there？〃
　Salsbury　went　to　the　nearest　programming　console　and　typed　out　an　order　to　the　puter。　As　he　typed　he　said；　〃Two　months　ago　I　drew　a　list　of　the　basic　requirements　for　the　ideal　test　site。〃
　All　of　the　screens　began　to　present　the　same　information：
　KEY/LOCK　FIELD　TEST　DATA；　AS　FOLLOWS：
　1A。　SITE　SHOULD　BE　SMALL　TOWN；　YET　PROVIDE　SUFFICIENT　NUMBER　OF　SUBJECTS　FOR　STATISTICAL　ACCURACY
　1B。　BLACK　RIVER；　MAINEPOPULATION　402　LUMBER　CAMPPOPULATION　188
　ADDITIONAL　POPULATION　WITHIN　5　MILESNONE
　〃Lumber　camp？〃　Klinger　asked。
　〃It's　a　pany　town　for　Big　Union　Supply。　Nearly　everyone　in　Black　River　works　for　Big　Union　or　services　the　people　who　do。　The　pany　maintains　a　full…scale　camp…barracks；　mess　hail；　recreation　facilities；　the　whole　works…near　their　planned　forests　for　unmarried　loggers　who　don't　want　to